Where to buy dried porcini mushrooms?

[WilderPenfield]

Looking for dried porcinis in large quanities, good quality and reasonable price, ideally near Brookline or Watertown. Any suggestions?

[bear]

Dave's Fresh Pasta also sells them (pretty sure they're porcinis) in bulk at the pasta counter. I don't remember the price, but they were reasonable.

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Dave's Fresh Pasta
81 Holland St, Somerville, MA 02144

[tatsu]

They moved some of the dried legumes and mushrooms near the produce section in Alewife's whole foods, with a lot more quantity. I am pretty sure I saw porcini threre.

[tatsu]

I confirmed it myself tonight. 43 bucks a pound.

[nsenada]

Costco has them for pretty cheap - can't remember how much. They came from an eastern european country, the name of which escapes me. Perfectly serviceable for soups, stews, powderizing as a rub, etc.

[PinchOfSalt]

Poland? Polish cepes are entirely okay, just as you say.

[nsenada]

I think that's right - went to look at the big plastic sleeve, and realized I threw it away. Hard fo me to focus on dried porcinis, when I picked a bunch of post-rain chanterelles and black trumpets recently. They are so damned good, even if my dcs refused to eat them on stupid fear of death grounds.

[StriperGuy]

Care to say where you found the chanterelles?

[nsenada]

Yup - the woods behind Lakeside Drive in Boothbay Harbor, ME. You're welcome to forage, though you have to be careful - I think deer hunting season starts there soon. The day before we came back from vacation, I stumbled upon a huge number of young chanterelles on a mossy slope - those babies will be at their peak in a few days, I think.

[C. Hamster]

They have them at my Stop and Shop ...

I usually buy them at BJ's Warehouse.

Nothing like hte ones I borught back from Italy, but not that bad for the price.

[StriperGuy]

You can also substitute amazing dried mushrooms from a Chinese grocery for a fraction of the cost. Wouldn't surprise me if some of the Chinese varieties (help here?) are actually the same as porcini. I use the Chinese ones liberally in various cuisines and they are wonderful.

[WilderPenfield]

Russo's to the rescue, I am pleased to report! Just under $40 a pound, even in smaller containers. I'll have a tast-off with the ones from Salumeria Italiana next time I'm in the North End. Re: Chinese dried mushroom, I've had some luck with them, but nothing that really replaces porcini.

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Salumeria Italiana
151 Richmond St, Boston, MA 02109

[Niblet]

+1. I get bags of 'em at H-Mart, wicked cheap.

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H-Mart
3 Old Concord Rd, Burlington, MA 01803

[Bumblebutton]

Ocean State Job Lot in Dedham--30 grams/1.05 oz for $2.75--far cheaper and just as good as any where else I've purchased them.

[PinchOfSalt]

You might check Russo's. They normally stock such things, though the location in the store is often obscure and varies. In my experience, Russo's sells no junk and prices everything reasonable. Having said that, you may end up having to buy multiple small packages there.

Your best bet may be to hop on the Green Line and hit the North End. I know it is not exactly the neighborhood where you were hoping to shop, but chances are you will easily find what you want there. J. Pace most likely has exactly what you want. Salumeria Italia is also worth trying.

[Allstonian]

I bought a half-kilo (500 g/just over 1 pound) of dried porcini at Salumeria Italiana some time last year. It was a major grocery investment - about $50 - but they have been the best-quality dried porciini I've ever used. No woody bits, no waste, and incredible rich flavor. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

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Salumeria Italiana
151 Richmond St, Boston, MA 02109

[StriperGuy]

I would love to compare real porcini to some of the Chinese dried mushrooms...