I am, unfortunately, unable to say with absolute certainty which Boletus edulis-like mushroom we have growing in such great profusion and to such size on our hillside. (This one was almost 6″ across.) They look so like pedestalled loaves of bread that their fresh-smelling white flesh seems destined to be eaten and enjoyed, but alas–not by me. Even though…
…all mushrooms are edible. Once.
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Yes, wisdom dictates that a lot of research be done before ingesting mushrooms. I did a rather rapid read of Paul Stamets’ book, Mycelium Running today and looked up what he had to say about boletus edulis. It is a mycorrhizal species, which is to say that it grows in association with tree roots and it is a heavy metal accumulator of cadmium and mercury. Some mycologists speculate that it could also absorb cesium-137, the isotope that Chernobyl scattered all over Europe. On the other hand, boletus edulis also accumulated selenium, which is a positive. So, yes, make sure you know what you are dealing with before thinking of eating a mushroom. Most places that I’ve visited recommend consulting several books about the species in question.