Page 273 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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PUFFBALLS






     Puffballs puff their spores in the air when hit by rain or poked. They are round and have a white interior
     when cut in half without gills. They usually lack a true stem or stalk.

          Gem-Studded Puffball, Lycoperdon

                 perlatum (AGARICACEAE)



























        GEM-STUDDED PUFFBALLS are common and wide-              spines
        spread. While usually growing on the ground under       EDIBLE PARTS: young fruiting body
        hardwood trees and conifers, they will  occasionally
                                                                KEY MEDICINAL USES: This mushroom shows strong
        frequent open areas. Fruiting from summer until fall,
                                                                antimicrobial activity. It has been applied externally to
        they may develop solitarily, in scattered to gregarious
                                                                wounds and sores.
        groups, or in fused clusters.
                                                                HOW  TO  EAT:  Harvest  only  young,  cushiony  puff-
        FRUITING BODY: The fruiting body is  normally
                                                                balls with white innards. The spongy, absorbent flesh
        shaped like an upside-down pear, with a  rounded
                                                                is perfect for sauces and marinades. However, if even
        or  flattened  top.  Measuring  1.2-2.8  inches  (3-7cm)
                                                                slightly yellow, the flesh is no longer edible. Do not
        tall and 0.8-2.5 inches (2-6cm) wide, it grows from
                                                                eat.
        a thick sterile base.  When young, its dry surface is
                                                                LEMONGRASS PUFFBALLS: Ingredients: 1 lb. (500g)
        whitish to pallid brown and studded with firm, cone-
                                                                mushrooms, ½ tsp. salt, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 tsp.
        shaped scales. These cones may be white, greyish, or
                                                                lemongrass bottom (chopped), 1 chili (sliced), 1 tbsp.
        pale brown, browning further at the tips at maturity.
                                                                lime juice, 1 tbsp. fish sauce, pepper, oil, cilantro. Stir-
        Eventually, these cones fall off, leaving pockmarks on
                                                                fry mushrooms with salt and oil (cook 3-4 min.). Add
        the puffball’s surface. Old mushrooms are completely
                                                                lemongrass, garlic, chili (cook 1 min.). Add lime juice
        brown.
                                                                and fish sauce (cook 2 min.). Sprinkle with cilantro.
        STERILE BASE: The stem-like sterile base is formed
                                                                WARNING: Inhaling spores can cause respiratory ill-
        of large white chambers, which eventually discolor to
                                                                ness, especially in immuno-compromised people.
        olive-brown or dark brown.
                                                                POISONOUS  LOOK-ALIKES:  Earth  Ball, Scleroder-
        SPORE MASS: The spore mass within begins white
                                                                ma citrinum - tough, warty skin; insides usually black
        and spongy. Soon softening and yellowing, it eventu-
                                                                or deep purple-blue though occasionally white, firmer
        ally becomes an olive-brown powder. A rupture at the
                                                                than L. perlatum; Some Amanitas grow from a whit-
        puffball’s top releases the spores.
                                                                ish egg sack; if bisected, a white mushroom or gills are
        SPORES: 3.5-4.5 µm, round, thick-walled, minute         usually visible. Puffballs have no gills.
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