My son brought me a giant puffball (round mushroom) as big as a basketball - pure white. I sure can't eat it all before it gets old, and understand that I can slice, pre-cook and freeze it, but has anyone ever sliced and dried puffball? How thick did you make the slices for drying? Do you have any recipes for fresh or dried - maybe soups, etc.? Thanks for any help.

-- Bonnie (chilton@stateline-isp.com), September 23, 2001

Answers

if its thats big,, Id slice it,, and check for worm holes. Dontthink it would change the taste,, but EWWWWWWWW. For the smaller ones,, slice, fry in some butter,, or bacon grease,, a wee bit o onion,, HMMMMMMMMMM. Dried ones,, you should let them soak till tender,, then use as above. ENJOY

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 23, 2001.

I've eaten them. Not impressed. Very bland, almost tasteless.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), September 23, 2001.

My thoughts on puffballs and snowballs (the white fungus that grows on trees). If it wasn't for the salt and bacon grease that we fried them in it wouldn't have any taste at all.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 24, 2001.

Ditto, they don't have much flavor. Maybe someone knows if they have any nutritional value to make them worth preserving, in spite of the lack of flavor?

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 24, 2001.

It's in the batter - with the proper batter you can make an old shoe tongue taste good. . .

-- Paul (hoyt@egyptian.net), September 24, 2001.

I believe mushrooms have the ability to remove toxins from your body, at least when eaten raw.

-- Rick#7 (rick7@postmark.net), September 25, 2001.

Maybe we have better puffballs around here (Maine), but I've always quite liked them, although they are not as flavorful as the "earthy" types. I use them in spaghetti sauce. After a meal as an additive to liver and onions, I dry the rest for the sauce. Kept airtight or frozen (after drying) they last nearly forever. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), September 25, 2001.

I had always heard that you would starve even if mushrooms were available. They are also the lungs of the forest, full of toxins. They are also on the fungus list of unclean foods, Biblical. Don't you just love this kind of stuff!! I would also love to know if they have any redeming qualities, other than they are great with steak! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

I LOVE puffballs. We saute them in butter and they're great! I missed getting any so far this year, but I've gotten some nice shitakes from the logs my husband innoculated. Nice, but not as good as puffballs! I believe you can dry them, but I've never heard of anyone freezing them (of course, there are a lot of things I've never heard of !). Check with extension and see if you have a mycological society in your state. There is a very active one in Maine.

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), September 25, 2001.

I have frozen them before. Just par-boil them for a couple of minutes, drain, and dump them in ice water, drain again, and then place them in a ziplock bag or other container and freeze. But they still don't have any taste except for the salt and bacon grease you cook them in.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 25, 2001.

Slice puffballs about 1/4 to 3/8 inches thick. Put on cookie sheet and top with sliced cheese. Stick it under the broiler and melt the cheese. Yummy!

-- lynne (lynnie70@cybermesa.com), September 30, 2001.

Just don't ever run one over with a lawn tractor after it has gotten TOO ripe! Eeeooowww! The inside has the consistancy of calf p**p when it has the scours! Gross!

-- Ardie from WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), October 01, 2001.

Does anyone have any links to good edible fungi pages? I've always been interested in it, and have read many books but cant find anyone in my local area sharing the interest. Thanks!

-- Corey Smith (coidogg@aol.com), February 04, 2002.