Mushrooms

[pingu748]

Saw a HUGE (football sized) mushroom in local woodland ... perfectly round and white ... am i right in thinking this is what is called a puff ball ? Is it dangerous to pets ?

[Solarjunkie]

Lucky you! As long as it is firm (like a mushroom) and has no stalk, take it home, cut in horizontal slices and lightly fry in oil or bacon fat - delicious! Make a note of where you found it, next year you might be lucky enough to find some more there.
The largest one ever found was origianly mistaken for a sheep!
The small puffballs, golf ball sized, are edible too.
It's only when they are dry they puff out their spores - to land & grow into more delicious fungi.

[SteveD]

Fun things to do with puffballs (including eating them):

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/calvat ia.html

[teag1rl]

Sorry to hijack but I got another p'ball related Q.
When I was little I always believed the 'powder' would make you blind if it got in your eyes (when they dry out you can stamp on them and the spores fly out!) Is there any truth in this?