I guess a bit of foraging was always on the cards at some stage. Over by the compost bins I found these two puffballs. I have left one alone to "spore" in the hope that I might get a little colony going and the other I harvested. A little bit of online education determined that these are good eating. I summoned up the courage this morning and cooked a couple of quite large pieces in butter and I ate them with some toast and black pudding.
The latin means literally "giant bald head". The record for the British Isles is a 170 cm. monster ! That would feed a village.
The bottom of the puffball had a light covering of woodlice and there were a couple of beetles boring into the main part of the flesh but once cleaned up I was delivered with several huge moist, foamy slices.
I think I need to find some more recipes of a plan for "keeping" this stuff. Perhaps dry it like porcini ?
Soups, stews, risottos - maybe it could be kept in olive oil ? My first venture a simple breakfast.
I felt quite brave - the rest of the family are not following me down this road.
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