Where Do Porcini Mushrooms Come From?
Whenever someone talks about porcini mushrooms, people usually associate the mushrooms with Italy. There is no doubt that the Italians have put their stamp on the variety of mushroom whose scientific name boletus edulis is known throughout many parts of the world as porcini. As a result a lot of people think the Italians have cornered the market on the variety. It is important to note that the porcini variety is no more exclusively Italian than it is French, Bulgarian, Chinese or anywhere else they are grown. Excellent porcini mushrooms can be found naturally growing in a wide variety of habitats throughout China, Europe, North America and other parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
So remember that while the Italians have to be given a lot of credit for spreading the fame of the boletus edulis by giving them the simple name porcini, which by the way translates to 'little pig or piglets', there are other areas of the world where these delicious and flavorful gems grow in pristine forests. With globalization more and more porcini are coming from these areas for cooks to enjoy and savor.