File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17538293094).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo17amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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^yILD MLSllllOOMS AS FOOD 3-39 niiglit be desired. On account of its peculiar shape and decided colors, a single specimen rarely fails to attract attention. It is considered one of the very best and most digestil)le of the fungi, and is often eaten raw by for- eigners. At times, this species occurs in enormous quantities in rich, loose earth by roadsides or in weedy places, and it then becomes an important source of food supply. It requires little
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The "egg" of the poisonous stinkhorn mushroom (Dicti/ophora duplicata) in section, sliowing how it differs from a puffball. The stem and a green mass inside are surrounded by a layer of jelly-like substance, while the puffball in section is smooth and solid cooking, and is best broiled and sea- soned simply. Common Pasture Puffball.—Large, rounded, five to fifteen centimeters in diam- eter, the base short and thick; surface smooth, whitish gray or brown, becoming purplish with age; spores purplish brown. This puffball occurs commonly in the eastern United States in meadows and pastures where the common mushroom may be expected to grow, but its excel- lent qualities appear to be unknown to most persons. It is the largest puffball in this region except the giant puffi)all, which is much rarer. It sometimes orows in circles, and it has Ix'en known to be so abundant as to injure lawns se- riously. The giant ))utfl)all may be readily recognised by its large size, usually al)Out the size of a man's head, and its smooth, white api)earance. It occurs infrequently in iields, pastures, or woods throughout most of the United States. Puff'balls arc the safest of all fungi for the beginner, none of them being poisonous; and they are at the same time excellent .and easy to obtain, feeing tender, they cook quickly and are easily digested. They should as a rule l)e cut open before cooking to see that thev are not too old and that they are really puff'balls. If they are white and firm like cream cheese inside, showing no yellow or brownish discoloration, they are of the right age to use. If the interior shows no special structures, but is smooth and homogeneous, then one may be sure he has a puffl)all. The "egg" of the deadly amanita contains the young cap and stem inside, which are readily seen when the "Qgg" is cut; and the "egg" of the stinkhorn shows the stem and a green mass inside sur- rounded by a layer of jelly-like sub- stance. Puffballs may be cooked alone in va- rious ways, or used in stews and ome- lets, and for stuffing roast fowls. When used in omelets, they should be stewed first. All kinds except the very small one should first be peeled and cut into slices or cubes, after which they may be fried quickly in butter, or dipped in beaten egg and fried like egg-plant, or coojced in any of the Avays recommended for the ordinary mushroom. The smaller kinds are much inferior in fla- vor to the larger ones and need a few specimens of some good mushroom to make them attractive.

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