Ever had Giant Puffballs?

[No gold in NY]

Once long ago I found a basketball sized one here in NY. No giant ones since. I understand all puff balls are edible. Got our giant frying pan out for that giant one long ago. Those giant slices sure do shrink down don't they.

 

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[fistfulladirt]

Once long ago I found a basketball sized one here in NY. No giant ones since. I understand all puff balls are edible. Got our giant frying pan out for that giant one long ago. Those giant slices sure do shrink down don't they.

Ha Ha No Gold you’re right.

 

[Megalodon]

I went back for the biggun.
Been eating the heck out of ‘em!
I have a bee hive de hydrator and drying out fungi.

I think that's the biggest one I've seen. Congrats on finding it before the bugs did!

 

[Rookster]

I have some that look similar but I'll not take the chance to eat.

 

[Megalodon]

We all have our limits. I eat every puffball that I find without bugs. But I won't touch "aquaculture" shrimp grown in sewage lagoons in "Indonesia" and dosed with antibiotics for US consumers. I don't eat them even if free.

 

[BillA]

think exactly the same about tilapia, worse than farmed salmon

 

[Megalodon]

think exactly the same about tilapia, worse than farmed salmon

I'm a big consumer of seafood - but I don't buy these either. Tilapia are popular in aquaculture because they are so tolerant of living in their own waste. Farmed salmon often escape and harm wild populations. They are also fed feed that produces that salmon color and the waste contaminates the areas around their ocean net pens. There are excellent alternatives that don't cost any more than the garbage.

Imported aquaculture shrimp are in a class of their own. I'd rather not eat at a party than eat that crap. Some imported wild-caught shrimp, on the other hand, are outstanding - such as the deep coldwater red shrimp from Argentina.

 

[fistfulladirt]

How do you know what shrimp are safe to eat?

 

[BillA]

aquaculture is out, the 'problem' with wild shrimp is the byproduct killing
costal fishing in Costa Rica has been decimated by the trawlers
have seen 3' heaps of 2" little red lobsters on deck, pitched back as waste

 

[Megalodon]

How do you know what shrimp are safe to eat?

In a restaurant or party or as a guest somewhere, you can't know for sure. I just say no to them if I don't know for sure. If you're shopping for shrimp, the sealed bags are clearly labelled. All aquaculture shrimp are from the far East. Look for the very tiny print on the package. IMO, they are the most dangerous food sold in the US. American shrimp are wild-caught and are safe to eat. If you want soft-bodied shrimp for steaming, shrimp from the southeast, including the Gulf of Mexico, are safe to eat. If you want something more firm bodied from deep clean cold water, you can't beat red shrimp from Argentina. I have a freezer full of them and just hope we don't have a power failure...You don't steam the red Argentine shrimp. You soak them, peel them and sautee them for just a few minutes. Steaming/boiling makes those shrimp more rubbery. The Gulf shrimp are so soft that you actually want to prepare them by methods that make them more firm or slightly rubbery.

A different issue is the waste associated with harvesting shrimp in some areas. I used to work on a shrimp boat for a week every summer for a friend and would bring back coolers of shrimp to freeze to use through the year. I saw a lot of bycatch waste. The seagulls ate what we swept overboard - probably 10 pounds of small fish for every pound of shrimp.

 

[Megalodon]

aquaculture is out, the 'problem' with wild shrimp is the byproduct killing
costal fishing in Costa Rica has been decimated by the trawlers
have seen 3' heaps of 2" little red lobsters on deck, pitched back as waste

The waste does not usually rot but is eaten by other animals. Trawlers are usually surrounded by seagulls. Despite that, yes, it is still waste and can make a real impact on young-of-the-year fish populations. Trawling is illegal in many areas used as fish nurseries - such as Chesapeake Bay.

 

[Trezurehunter]

I dont really care for the Puffball mushroom. I am more of a Morel and Sheep's head person. Glad you found some though - enjoy !

 

[fistfulladirt]

I dont really care for the Puffball mushroom. I am more of a Morel and Sheep's head person. Glad you found some though - enjoy !

Ive found that they really stink, frying or dehydrating. Make sure you do this outdoors!

 

[Megalodon]

aquaculture is out, the 'problem' with wild shrimp is the byproduct killing
costal fishing in Costa Rica has been decimated by the trawlers
have seen 3' heaps of 2" little red lobsters on deck, pitched back as waste

The industry fights any conservation regulation. The reason why baby lobsters are caught by trawls is because those trawls were equipped with tickle chains. Tickle chains are used on the bottom of the trawl to scare up bottom fish like flounder as a bonus catch. Small lobster bycatch could be greatly reduced simply by outlawing tickle chains. These days, fisheries scientists are routinely fired for suggesting proven conservation measures.

 

[BillA]

and Costa Rica is corrupt beyond description; trawling is prohibited by law
but permits are given which have to be withdrawn, and 40% of the senators vote to legalise trawling every single year
I have no voice, so I avoid shrimp.
poor alternative

edit: CR is as corrupt as ANY country in which corporations have a political voice, no worse really
I just get wound up

 

[BillA]

Ive found that they really stink, frying or dehydrating. Make sure you do this outdoors!

is this another 'acquired taste' kinda thing ?
generally, if it stinks I'm gonna pass

 

[Megalodon]

is this another 'acquired taste' kinda thing ?
generally, if it stinks I'm gonna pass

I haven't noticed any offensive odor from pan-frying slices of puffballs. But I'm usually out of the cook's way, too.

 

[Megalodon]

and Costa Rica is corrupt beyond description; trawling is prohibited by law
but permits are given which have to be withdrawn, and 40% of the senators vote to legalise trawling every single year
I have no voice, so I avoid shrimp.
poor alternative

edit: CR is as corrupt as ANY country in which corporations have a political voice, no worse really
I just get wound up

Corporations own gov't by buying politicians. Somehow, my wallet is full of stamped bills - which I use to pay gov't obligations (quarterly water bills, etc) and also at the businesses owned by politicians who whored themselves out to big polluters who pour carcinogens into our neighborhoods and environment. Fight back any way you can.



https://www.stampstampede.org/

 

[slide95]

Amazing images! I do wonder if they can easily be grown on a small lawn. Thanks for sharing!












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[Megalodon]

Amazing images! I do wonder if they can easily be grown on a small lawn. Thanks for sharing!

Most of the fungi are underground. You see the puffballs usually after a rain - but only if you already have the fungal hyphae underground. You don't plant them and many chemicals used on lawns kill the fungal hyphae. Really big ones are uncommon and quickly invaded by insects. Most of the ones I pick are baseball to softball sized.

There are kits in which one can either innoculate logs or "raise" a variety of mushrooms from damp logs previously innoculated with mushroom spores. Think of it as a chia-pet that produces edilble mushrooms. Good gift idea for the mushroom lover.