Fun Guss - You gotta watch him.

When wandering around the field, I see a lot of new things making their home on the grass , things that should naturally be there, but years of pesticides, sheep teeth and sheep feet have prevented their development. 

I often see interesting fungus but usually only look for a few seconds and then walk on. I don't know that much about them, so I don't tend to linger and think about it too much. 

Earlier in the year something peaked my interest a little more than usual though.  

Somewhere in my distant memory, I remember reading a book about edible fungus and my memory recalled, that the book suggested that "most edible mushrooms have a very similar looking cousin that will kill you". That news put me off edible fungus. My recollection though, was that the exception to that rule seemed to be field mushrooms and puffballs. 

Now that memory was definitely a distant memory, but when I saw the fellow in the above picture growing, I thought it worthy of further investigation as it was (a) a good size (b) growing in the same spot that I had seen what I thought was a dry old puffball the year before. 

I remembered seeing puffballs in an Austrian market years ago that were about the size of a human head and I regretted buying some to try. Had I discovered that I have my very own puffball supply? I decided to read up, and the signs looked promising - it was probably a puffball, but....

.... if I was wrong, I would likely have picked a "destroying angel". With a name like that I suspected it was going to be a restaurant favourite. 

Also , it turns out, my memory was incorrect, you can mistake a puffball for something nasty. But had I ? 

The data I read suggested if the inside was smooth, completely smooth, then I was likely ok. Also, "destroying angels" were small - often people mistake them for small puffballs. My puffballs were pretty damn big. 

The destroying angel. 

A few "destroying angel" facts. 

• The only hospital treatment is to cross match you for an urgent kidney/liver transplant as ingestion means you are about to die from kidney / liver failure.
•  They account for the overwhelming majority of cases of death by fungus ingestion. 
• Symptoms do not appear for 5 to 24 hours, by which time the toxins may already be absorbed and the damage (destruction of liver and kidney tissues) is irreversible. 
• As little as half a mushroom cap can be fatal

I chopped one up to see how "smooth" it was. 

It was quite smooth. 

So, while I was pretty sure I had the right thing, the price of being wrong was pretty much the ultimate price. No going back! 

I am still a little surprised that I went for it. But I did, several months ago, so either I have a special X-men power over fungus, or it was a puffball. 

It didn't taste of a terrific amount. I likely had something on my mind when I ate it that took some of the enjoyment away. They recommend them fried with a little lemon juice. I fried it , but it was a little bland.

If I get another crop next year I will be a little more relaxed and will hopefully enjoy them more. 

The "being sensible award" of this story goes to my friend Peaches who fancied trying some and took some home that same night for his tea. I asked him the following morning if he had enjoyed them, he replied "I haven't tried them yet but now I have heard you are still alive I will". Fair point.

This marks a first - the first edible treat from the field.