I’ve noticed a few pictures popping up over the last few days with mushrooms. Many are puffballs, which are starting to grow this time of year. People have been asking if they are edible, and many of the answers have been yes.
I’ve never eaten a puffball. Although apparently most puffballs are edible. At least at some point in their life cycle.
Puffballs are essentially mushrooms, but without most of the usual parts. No stem, no real cap. They are just a round fungi. And if you get them early, they are supposed be pretty good.
Puffballs, as many of us know, are fun to kick when they get ripe. The inside turns from a solid mass into a sack of spores. These spores can be released when hit by rain drops or pretty much any falling thing. Or a well placed foot. Step on or kick a ripe puffball and spores will go everywhere. Eating them is a little different.
According to what I’ve read, you have to get them almost as soon as they pop up. When they first start to grow, they are solid. No spores or anything like that inside. Just a solid piece of fungi, which can be sliced and cooked or whatever you would like to do to your fungi.
But as I mentioned, they say “most” puffballs are edible. There are a couple of exceptions, so like with wild mushrooms, I’ll just leave them alone, thank you.
While I have always wondered about eating wild mushrooms, I’ll be honest, I don’t know enough about them. I really don’t know one from another. Puffballs may be a little easier, since there don’t seem to be quite as many varieties, but I still don’t trust myself.
Rising food prices do get me interested in gathering some of what grows around me. My inability to guarantee my safety keeps me from following through.
But I do like mushrooms. I wonder what puffballs taste like?
