As Eric Swanson thumbed through piles of wild mushroom identification books — just a handful of the rows of books on the topic that lined the shelves of his Bristol living room — he described what the common types looked, smelled and tasted like as though each one was a close acquaintance.
The porcini, he said, is common in many European and Asian cuisines, and can often be found dried in supermarkets. But its most distinctive quality is its appearance.
“It looks like a fat guy with a hamburger on his head,” said Swanson.
