Since last winter I have been on the lookout for the puffball season. In early spring I found evidence of a great number of puffballs which were by then rotten and had I hoped spread their spores far and wide. The puffball season has been around late September but this year ( 2011) it arrived early. Luckily I have been keeping an eye out for these football sized fungi for a few weeks. Walking the dog is a good excuse for a bit of fungi hunting and on 4th September I saw hidden under the hedge the tell-tale white shapes. There were 20 or 30 fresh puffballs. I took three. They have been sliced and fried in butter or olive oil with salt and pepper and frozen for the future. I will stir-fry with garlic and chilli and serve with pasta, or just have with my occasional egg and bacon breakfast.

Fresh puffballs ready for cooking

Next on my list are parasol mushrooms and the less easy to identify horse and field mushrooms. Take care and double check anything you find. If in doubt don’t eat it.