Page 273 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

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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