Polish Forager Finds Giant 2.54kg Porcini Mushroom in Forest

The news in Polish

1. południe  (n.)
   część świata lub kierunek wskazujący na biegun południowy; także środkowa pora dnia ↩︎
2. borowik  (m.)
   rodzaj grzyba jadalnego rosnącego w lasach, ceniony przez grzybiarzy ↩︎
3. szlachetny
   wartościowy, wysokiej jakości lub mający dobre cechy ↩︎
4. rzadki
   niepospolity, taki który nie zdarza się często lub jest trudny do znalezienia ↩︎
5. sezon  (m.)
   okres roku, w którym coś regularnie występuje lub odbywa się ↩︎
6. początkujący  (m.)
   osoba, która dopiero zaczyna uczyć się czegoś lub zajmować się czymś ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: How much does the mushroom weigh?

Question 2: When does the mushroom season last?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
południe  (n.)	south
borowik  (m.)	porcini mushroom
szlachetny	noble
rzadki	rare
sezon  (m.)	season
początkujący  (m.)	beginner

Read the full story

Foresters in southern Poland, near the border with Slovakia, have reported an extraordinary find: a porcini mushroom weighing 2.54 kilograms, discovered by a man named Michał. The stem of the mushroom measured 47 centimetres in circumference at its widest point.

What made the find even more remarkable was the condition of the specimen. Despite its unusual size, the mushroom showed no visible signs of larval damage. “The flesh retained the characteristic smell of a porcini,” the foresters wrote in their announcement.

The porcini, known in Polish as borowik szlachetny or prawdziwek, is considered one of the most prized mushrooms found in Poland. It is recognisable by its thick, pale stem and large brown cap, with a spongy underside made up of fine tubes rather than gills. While older specimens can grow large, those weighing more than two kilograms are described as extremely rare. Most porcini found by foragers weigh between a few dozen and a few hundred grams.

Porcini mushrooms grow across almost all of Poland, most commonly in coniferous, mixed, and beech forests, often near spruce, pine, oak, and beech trees. Foragers typically look for them along forest tracks, in clearings, on sunny forest edges, and in mossy spots. The mushrooms prefer moist ground, so a flush of growth can often be expected a few days after heavy rainfall.

The main mushroom season in Poland runs from August to October, though the first porcini can appear in late spring and, in favourable conditions, picking can continue into November. Beginners are advised to pick only mushrooms they can identify with complete certainty, and to consult an expert if in any doubt, as some edible porcini varieties can be confused with the toxic Satan’s bolete.