Puffball / Lycoperdon - Organic Mushroom's Dry Mycelium

Organic Puffball Mushroom's Dry Mycelium

They are edible when picked with an all white center - once the center starts to yellow, they are no longer good. When they mature, the spores mature from the inside out, and eventually nothing is left but a shell and spore dust inside. They are a little softer than a white button mushroom, but still a fairly good edible.

The fruiting body of a puffball mushroom develops within a few weeks and then begins to produce spores. The meat of giant puffballs tastes very similar to tofu or melted cheese when cooked. Puffballs may be sautéed, broiled, or breaded and fried; they do not dehydrate well, but may be cooked and then frozen.
 

Pick the puffball mushrooms after they have turned brown. This is an indication that the puffballs are filled with spores. Cut the puffballs off at the base with a sharp knife and place them on a paper towel to hold any spores that may pop out.

Fill a gallon-sized glass jar with distilled water or other nonchlorinated water. Add a small spoonful of molasses and a pinch of salt to the water. Stir the mixture with a clean wooden spoon until the salt dissolves.

Hold the puffball over the jar opening and squeeze it or pop it so that the spores puff into the jar. Shake the empty puffball and brush the spores off the paper towel into the water. Place the lid on the jar and put the jar in a location where it won't be disturbed for two days.

Pour the resulting slurry out onto the lawn in the same area in which you found the puffballs. The fact that this area is welcoming to puffballs will increase your chances of growing a new generation of them.