Lucky you.

I like to salt and pepper and then saute thick slices in butter. Sometimes they are absolutely wonderful, sometimes just pretty good. Not sure if there are different varieties or not.

They make an excellent side to steak. Wish I could find some this year!

Wow...I've never seen puffballs that big. I tried some of our little ones chopped in an omelet, but didn't care for the texture.. I'll be interested to see what you do with them.

I think I found a patch of chanterelles, but I'm not familiar enough with wild mushrooms, then I forgot to look them up until they were past. Have a bunch of huge shaggy manes in the yard, but I've never had much success with them, either, so they're making a big old inky patch out there.

A friend found some huge ones this fall. She sliced them and baked them. They became mushroom 'crepes'. She filled them with mixed seafood filling. I did not partake of this meal unfortunately. But everyone who did raved.

We had some pretty big G. Puffballs in the woods and along the driveway this year. Also had a couple of huge Hen of the Woods.

Sadly, I did nothing with them. The Puffballs are not a regular occurence, but the HOTW comes back on the same old stump pretty much every year.

I will make a vow right here and now that I WILL try them both next year!

Katie, we have Shaggy Manes as well, but I was not aware they are edible! (they're kinda pretty in a mushroom sorta way....)

OK....adding Shaggy Manes to the "must try" list.....

Linda

I was amazed at how big one was the first time I saw one - beachball size. I was more amazed when my neighbour picked and cooked it - I thought that was the end of her family. I have so much fear instilled in me about wild mushrooms.

"--- I have so much fear instilled in me about wild mushrooms.---"

Puffballs are one of the safest mushrooms to identify, like morels.

dcarch

Puffballs are considered a choice edible. Fortunately puffballs have no poison look-a-likes. An easy edible for the wary. We get a bit giddy when spotting one. I don't care for the texture in soups but a saute or bake is delish. They easily absorb liquid so never rinse, just cut off any squirrely bits, (earth or bad spots).
The mild earthiness gets lost when competing with other strong flavors. I think a white miso broth soup or egg drop would be nice.
Once collected one that was the exact shape of a loaf of white bread, even the top was slightly brown. Sauteed in butter and served with grilled sausage and caramelized onions.
Baked like a crepe sounds wonderful...will try that next time.

But according to wikipedia, don't eat them if the interiors are anything but white. Once they get older and spores start to form, they turn yellow and then brown inside and will make you sick. Also if they are too young they may be mistaken for a gilled mushroom that hasn't yet matured which is not a good thing.

We used to pick and eat boletus mushrooms when I was young, but now they are impossible to find as the deer eat them all...

Thanks for all the interest. This is a new experience for us -- we have morels on our farm and hunt them every spring. Now THAT is a delicious mushroom! We have always been wary about any other mushroom but will try this today.

Can't see the two of us eating both of these right away -- can I slice and freeze some?

This thread has brought back some wonderful memories!

Growing up on the opposite end of the USA than where I am now,
Puff Balls were something I always looked forward to finding.
I loved them!
But being a kid, and not very adventuresome,
The only way I ever had them was sliced,
Lightly coated with flour & a bit of salt & pepper,
And pan fried.
So-o-o-o-ooo good!

And AnnieD is right,
Be sure they are firm and white all the way through! ! !
It is fun to stomp on them when they have turned to 'powder' inside,
And watch the 'dust' fly!
Well, at least when you're a kid it is. . .. .

Thanks starting this thread, RyseRyse!

Rusty

I would definitely cook one now but haven't seen one pop up since my neighbour picked hers. Are they fast growers? She said hers "came out of nowhere" so I am assuming so. She made a mushroom soup and loved it.
My only mushroom venture was to find chaga mushrooms for tea. I found some but my husband freaked me out saying they are probably some kind of neurotoxin.