Giant Puffball

The word ‘puffball’ is a corruption of Puck or Poukball, anciently called Puck-fish. The Irish name is Pooks-foot from the Saxon, ‘pulker-fish’, a toadstool. The American Indians used various species of puffballs, eaten in their early stages of growth, raw, boiled or roasted. The Zunis dried them for winter use, while the Iroquois fried them and added them to soups. The Omaga Indians cut the giant puffball into chunks and fried it like meat. When picked for consumption the flesh should still be pure white. As they age, the flesh turns yellowish, they are then too old to eat. A good, young specimen can be kept in the fridge for a few days.