This year we didn’t get out to go mushroom picking. My husband is a hunter and the hunting season always coincides with the mushroom season. Guess what is more important to my husband. But we still collected some mushrooms, although we didn’t go anywhere specially.

We have a dacha outside the city, there are both pine and deciduous plantations, we drive past fields, but for some reason there are never mushrooms there.

And so, returning from the dacha, we suddenly see people walking across the field and picking mushrooms. Of course, we were surprised and stopped. People collected champignons and practically didn’t leave any for us, but we still picked mushrooms. And these were raincoats.

For some reason, people didn’t collect them; apparently they didn’t know that it was a puffball mushroom and that it was edible. We are not great experts in mushrooms, but we know some species for sure and collect them with confidence. And we have no doubts about the puffball mushroom - edible or not, we know 100% that it is edible.

And I decided to talk about this mushroom; it’s a pity that people, sometimes out of ignorance, trample them and kick them. And this is not only edible, but also a very tasty and healthy mushroom. By the way, in Italy they consider the puffball to be the most delicious mushroom.

Mushroom raincoat - photo and description

The puffball mushroom belongs to the champignon family.

There are varieties that are round, and there are slightly elongated, pear-shaped ones, as if with a stem, as they also say - “false stem”.

Some raincoats are smooth, and some have small spikes.

We quite rarely come across raincoats and they were always round and smooth.

There is another variety - these are giant raincoats and they weigh up to 10 kg. Our son found such a mushroom the only time, it weighed 1 kg and even then it seemed big to us, but 10 kg is hard to even imagine. Watch the video about the giant raincoat.

Important! This mushroom differs from other species in that it does not have a pronounced stem and cap with plates.

This must be remembered so as not to be confused with a young fly agaric, the spiny puffballs are especially similar, but looking at the photo, it seems to me that the difference is obvious, the fly agaric has a leg and a cap.

Puffball mushroom - edible or not

As I already said, this is an edible mushroom, but it has a feature that important know and collect taking into account these features.

Raincoat ages very quickly and becomes unsuitable for collection, so only young mushrooms should be collected.

The pulp when cut should be pure white, dense, elastic and homogeneous. If the flesh is yellowish or greenish, then such a mushroom is not suitable for collection.

Over time, the insides of the puffball mushroom become flabby, and then generally turn into a powdery spore mass, which is pushed out through the hole formed in the upper part of the mushroom. Because of these features, it is often popularly called “flutter”, “dust tobacco”, “grandfather’s tobacco”. Maybe this influences the opinion that the puffball mushroom is inedible.

There is a false mushroom and it is distinguished by the fact that it has a hard, leathery shell, the flesh of young mushrooms is also white, but it ripens very quickly and becomes dark purple in color, the main distinguishing feature is the smell, in false ones it is unpleasant. The raincoats we collected have a smell very reminiscent of champignons.

Raincoat mushroom - how to cook

The puffball mushroom is a versatile mushroom; it can be fried, boiled, or pickled. For long-term storage, both freezing and drying are suitable. True, it should not be dried in the fresh air, but in an oven or a fruit and vegetable dryer.

You can cook puffball mushroom without pre-treatment (boiling or soaking).

And although it belongs to the fourth category, this does not affect the taste. This is a delicious mushroom, and by the way, the dried puffball mushroom is not inferior in taste and smell to the famous boletus mushroom.

Puffball mushroom - beneficial and medicinal properties

Puffball mushroom, included in your diet, will have a beneficial effect on the body:

it helps eliminate toxins, as well as chlorine and fluorine-containing compounds, cleanses the gastrointestinal tract, improves the composition of blood and lymph;
its antiseptic, hemostatic and wound-healing properties are known; they say it can be used right in the forest to treat wounds and cuts by applying the pulp of a freshly cut mushroom to the wound;
This mushroom contains a substance called calvacin, which has antitumor properties.
It is believed that puffball mushroom broth is healthier than chicken broth and is widely used to quickly restore the patient’s vitality, in the treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis, tuberculosis, and to strengthen the immune system.

Traditional healers make a tincture from the puffball mushroom and use it to treat various diseases.

Chop clean mushrooms and pack tightly into 0.5 liters. jar, fill the remaining space with vodka diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Infuse in the refrigerator for 15 days, then strain and keep the tincture in the refrigerator

Take the tincture orally once a day, 30 ml half an hour before meals, with water or natural juice for diseases such as viral hepatitis, diseases of the genitourinary system, helps dissolve sand, kidney stones, and eliminates dysbacteriosis.

This tincture can also be used externally in the form of lotions for acne, purulent formations, and for the treatment of burns.

Even in folk medicine, powder from the puffball mushroom is used; it helps normalize blood pressure and hormonal balance, strengthens the immune system, when taken regularly.

How to prepare: grind dried mushrooms in a coffee grinder, pour into a dry container with a lid.

Add to dishes every day, but in order not to destroy the beneficial effect of the powder, the dishes should not be hot, no more than 50 degrees.

But not only traditional healers know about the beneficial and healing properties of raincoats. Based on this mushroom, various drugs and dietary supplements have been created in pharmacology; this mushroom is also used for the manufacture of cosmetic products, since the puffball mushroom helps improve the structure of the skin and eliminate sagging.

At home, you can make face masks; to do this, cut the mushroom into thin slices, apply to the face and hold for 15-20 minutes.

We collected such wonderful mushrooms, although not much, just a couple of kilograms, maybe a little more, but we also spent very little time on it, about half an hour. But we are happy about that too.

I hope the information was useful and even if you do not dare to collect puffball mushrooms, do not kick or trample them with your feet, remember that there are lovers of these mushrooms, for example, us.

Better yet, collect them in your baskets and use them both for preparing delicious dishes and for your health.

Many people have encountered the raincoat mushroom in meadows, city parks and deciduous forests. It grows after the summer rains, from July to September. There are many types of puffballs, most of them edible. From the article you can find out a detailed description of raincoats, their medicinal properties and original culinary recipes.

Puffball mushroom, photo and description, varieties

The puffball mushroom, the photo and description of which will be of interest to mushroom pickers, belongs to the Champignon family. It has an unusual appearance - it does not have a stem or a cap. Its fruiting body is round, sometimes pear-shaped, with a closed structure. Most species are small or medium in size, but there are also giants.

Types of puffball mushrooms:

Puffballs prickly or pearly are one of the most delicious and healthy mushrooms. The fruit body is small, up to 9 cm high and up to 4 cm wide. Small soft spines or warts are visible on the shell of the mushroom. Young mushrooms, edible, have white, dense flesh. If you fry these mushrooms raw, they have a pleasant, strong aroma.

Particularly interesting is the giant puffball mushroom, which some mushroom pickers avoid, mistaking it for a mutant because of its large size. It looks like a big white ball and easily comes off the ground. Such “balls” weigh up to 10 kg. The white dense pulp of young mushrooms is similar to Adyghe cheese or marshmallows.

If you see a giant puffball with ripe spores, do not step on it or kick it. From there, a whole cloud of small spores will fly out, which can lead to bronchospasm and respiratory arrest.

Hedgehog, meadow and pear-shaped puffball mushrooms are also edible. Only false puffballs cannot be eaten; they differ from other varieties in the yellowish color of their flesh.

How to make raincoats

Mushrooms with white, dense flesh are eaten. If the flesh begins to turn yellow, the mushroom is not suitable for food. Before cooking, wash and peel the mushrooms.

Mushroom soup

An unusual soup can be prepared with melted cheese and mushrooms. The combination of products is very tasty.

Products:

puffball mushroom – 400 g;
processed cheese – 150 g;
water – 2 l;
onion – 1 pc.;
greens - 3 sprigs;
salt - to taste;
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

Cut the peeled and washed mushrooms into small cubes, fry with onions in a frying pan in oil.
Place melted cheese in hot water and add salt. After two minutes, add the fried mushrooms.
Serve the soup with finely chopped herbs.

Fried mushrooms in breading

This delicacy resembles tender meat and cooks very quickly.

Products:

puffball mushrooms – 1 kg;
- 2 pcs.;
milk – 90 ml;
breadcrumbs – 180 g;
vegetable oil – 120 ml;
salt, pepper, paprika - to taste.

Preparation:

Cut the prepared mushrooms into slices about 1 cm thick.
For the batter, beat the egg with milk.
Salt and pepper the mushroom slices, dip them into batter and then into breadcrumbs on both sides.
Fry breaded mushrooms in hot vegetable oil until golden brown.

For this recipe, the mushrooms can be pre-cooked in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then breaded and fried.

In addition to the suggested recipes, puffball mushrooms are fried with carrots and onions, boiled, and stewed in sour cream. They can also be dried to be used as a mushroom seasoning in cooking.

Mushroom broth from raincoat is very useful; it is given to weakened patients to speed up recovery.

Healing properties of puffball mushroom

The puffball mushroom, whose medicinal properties are used by folk healers, is easily digestible, removes harmful substances from the body, and normalizes intestinal activity. These mushrooms contain a valuable substance - calvacin, which has an antitumor effect. It suppresses the growth of benign and malignant tumors.

Young mushrooms are used externally to stop bleeding. To do this, peeled and washed mushroom pulp is applied to the wound. Thanks to the antibacterial properties of the fungus, the wound heals quickly and does not become inflamed. The raincoat is also used in home cosmetology; masks made from it restore elasticity and healthy color to the skin.

The recipe for a medicinal tincture of raincoats is simple. To prepare it, you need to fill a half-liter jar of mushrooms with vodka and place it in a dark place for 3 weeks. Strain the prepared tincture, squeeze out the mushrooms and discard. Drink 1 tbsp. l. three times a day before meals.

Mushroom tincture is used to treat anemia, venous congestion, eczema and other diseases.

The mushroom is effective for the treatment of fibroids and thyroid diseases.

With the help of its extract, toxins are removed from the body during hepatitis and kidney diseases. A raincoat helps quickly cure intestinal disorders.

Is the puffball mushroom edible or not?

You should go to the forest for delicate delicacies immediately after the rain, as is already clear from their name. For many mushroom pickers, the question of whether the puffball mushroom is edible or not is not in doubt at all - of course it is. But, if you look at it, it’s not so simple. Certain species may be dangerous. Among the people, the mushroom has many names - wolf's or devil's tobacco, hare's potato, grandfather's gunpowder, forest egg and others. All of them are somehow connected with the fact that if you step on a ripe fruit, it will immediately release smoke with spores. Other healing properties are also known - the cut flesh of the fungus will help the wound heal quickly, without suppuration. You can meet these gifts of nature in forests and parks, steppes, fields, lawns and pastures.

Raincoat mushroom: description of the species

All representatives of the raincoat family are generalized into one species, which is fundamentally wrong.

The puffball genus of mushrooms represents a variety of types (Figure 1):

Powder flasks or powder flasks - bovista;
Golovachs - calvatia;
Representatives of the same name - lycoperdon;
False puffballs or scleroderma and many others.

Figure 1. Different types of puffball mushrooms

If we talk about what kind of mushroom is a puffball, it is quite difficult to classify it; even avid mushroom pickers do not always navigate their system.

Mushrooms are:

With growths and a smooth surface of the cap;
Needle and warty;
Spherical and pear-shaped;
Similar to a pigeon egg;
Some of them lie on the ground;
Others have a false stalk.

All of them belong to the same group - nutrevicae or gasteromycetes, since their fruiting body remains intact until the period of spore maturation, after which their shell bursts and releases them out. According to the type of nutrition, puffball saprophytes grow on rotted organic matter. But despite this, they are considered a real delicacy and are collected from a young age, while they are filled with white elastic pulp (Figure 2).

Figure 2. White flesh of the edible Puffball mushroom and its poisonous counterpart (black inside)

Let's look at what a puffball mushroom looks like, photos and descriptions of edible species:

Prickly, also known as needle-shaped, has pronounced conical needles; if you peel it from them, a barely noticeable mesh pattern will remain on the white or soft cream skin; you can safely put it in a basket while it is young and has a pleasant aroma; the fungus grows in small groups;
Pearl - loves well-fertilized pastures, but is also found in forests from May to mid-November, the white pear-shaped fruit body becomes yellow as it matures, by the time the spores appear it has a gray-brown tint, the skin is also covered with small spines or growths, located predominantly in the upper part;
Pear-shaped - a fairly small subspecies up to 5 cm in height, prefers rotting wood - fallen trunks and old stumps, looks like a white ball narrowed to the bottom with a short pseudopod on which thin threads of mycelium can be seen, it is often fried and boiled, used for making soups, although the degree of ripeness can only be determined in the kitchen, since the color does not always darken when ripe;
The golovach is oblong or sac-shaped - it looks like a tall bladder inflated with air and pulled to the bottom, has more delicate and thin spines compared to the needle-shaped subspecies, it is eaten young and collected in pastures;
Langermannia gigantea (Figure 3) - reaches enormous sizes up to 8 kg and 40 cm at the crossbar, but our largest specimens weigh about 1 kg and are approximately equal to an average head of cabbage, the skin is smooth and flaky, the color of the core changes as it ages - from white to cream to brown with green and dirty brown, the edible part is loose, similar in density to homemade cheese, as the fungus grows it becomes lighter, its mycelium is very durable, can live up to 25 years.

Figure 3. Langermannia gigantea

It is worth approaching the collection of these delicacies with all responsibility, since dangerous representatives of the species can easily be confused with those that can be put in your basket without fear.

Let's look at the question of how to distinguish from poisonous:

Is the puffball mushroom edible or not?

For some reason, many lovers of forest gifts avoid rain ones, despite their pleasant taste, vitamins and beneficial properties. And given the unpretentiousness in harvesting and in relation to weather conditions, the wide fruiting period, reasonable doubts arise.

Figure 5. Young (left) and old (right) puffball mushroom

Let's try to figure out whether the puffball mushroom is edible or not:

The fruiting body ages quickly enough, which makes it unsuitable for collection, so old plants should not be collected (Figure 5);
Yellowish or greenish flesh on the cut also indicates that you should not eat such a forest egg - it should be uniform, white and elastic;
Only young specimens, their core, located under the skin, can be eaten.

Despite these simple rules, there is a certain risk that you will come across poisonous puffball mushrooms.

Puffballs are round-shaped porcini mushrooms that appear in nature and in parks at the end of summer. They are loved by children, because if you hit the ball with a stick or kick it, a brown cloud will fly out of the middle. But raincoats are notable not only as a fun toy: they taste good and have medicinal properties.

What does the puffball mushroom look like and where does it grow?

In biology, “Dozhdevikov” is understood as an entire genus that is part of the Champignon family, although more recently it was separated into a separate family of Dozhdevikov. These are gasteromycete fungi, in which the formation of spores responsible for reproduction occurs inside the fruiting body. When it matures, a hole opens at the top to allow the spores to escape into the environment.

All representatives of the genus are characterized by a round or pear-shaped structure of the fruiting body. Unlike most, they do not have a strictly defined cap. But there is a false leg, smoothly turning into a round part.

The pulp (gleba) is elastic and fleshy. This is the part that is eaten. The color of the gleba directly depends on the age of the mushroom and serves as a kind of indicator of suitability: only young white specimens have a pleasant taste. When it darkens and the flesh turns olive-like, the puffball loses its culinary value and is considered inedible.

Description of edible species of puffball

Types of raincoats differ in appearance and location of growth. But they are united by fruiting from the second half of summer until October and the fact that they are all edible as long as the flesh remains white.

Meadow raincoat

It has a small fruiting body, the diameter of which is 2–4 cm. It is round, gradually tapering towards the base. The pulp of the young mushroom is snow-white, over time it becomes yellow and then brown or olive in color. It grows mainly in fields and along roads.

It has a spherical fruiting body growing on a thick stalk. Its surface is dotted with thin needles that fall off when touched. The height of the mushroom reaches up to 10 cm. You can find it on the edges or in a light forest.

Raincoat brown (umber)

It sits tightly on the soil because the leg is almost invisible. It has a small fruiting body (only up to 5 cm in diameter) of brown color, dotted with dark needles. They can form patterns that resemble stars.

Giant

Of all its relatives, the giant raincoat is distinguished, often reaching the size of a soccer ball. True, this is a rare mushroom, and in the middle zone it is rarely found. Giant puffball growing in old pastures, fields or meadows; less often - in deciduous forests.

Collecting giant puffballs (video)

Medicinal properties of puffball mushroom

Raincoats are successfully used in alternative medicine. Their pulp contains useful substances that have a positive effect on health.

The healing properties of a raincoat:

cleansing – the mushroom is an excellent absorbent and removes harmful compounds from the human body;
taking folk remedies based on it is used to cleanse the liver and intestines;
it leads to normal blood composition;
It must be said separately that it, like a sponge, absorbs radionuclides and removes them from the body.
the pulp stops bleeding and promotes rapid healing of wounds.

Traditional healers have known about such possibilities for many centuries, who use these gifts of nature in their practice.

The use of raincoats in folk medicine

The use of a raincoat is diverse:

For skin injuries. Many mushroom pickers know that if you cut yourself or get burned in the forest, you need to look for a raincoat. It should simply be folded in half and applied to the injured area.
Local use of folk remedies from this mushroom will also help with skin diseases, relieving inflammation and accelerating tissue regeneration. For example, with hives or boils.
The decoction is used in the treatment of diseases and respiratory tract(bronchitis, pneumonia and even tuberculosis). According to healers, this remedy is not inferior in value to chicken broth.
The giant species is used to prevent and stop the growth of tumors, because it contains calvacin.

A raincoat is also used for preventive purposes if you want to cleanse the body of waste and toxins. After this, the person feels better and filled with vitality.

False types of puffballs and their toxicity

Their relatives, the false ones, are similar in appearance to raincoats. According to scientific classification, they belong to the Sclerodermataceae family. In Russia and neighboring countries, the common and warty puffball are more common. Both are apparently unsuitable for consumption and are even called mildly poisonous.

When consuming them, a person feels slightly unwell, and if you eat mushrooms in large quantities, a classic picture of poisoning appears. Sometimes false raincoats cause an allergic reaction in the form of conjunctivitis and runny nose. Although there is no direct threat to life, mushrooms should be avoided.

The species is found in Eastern Europe, the northern Caucasus and the Far East. Prefers to grow in well-lit coniferous and deciduous forests, meadows and along paths, choosing dry places. Fruiting time is from July to October.

It has an inconspicuous yellowish fruiting body, not exceeding 12 cm in height. Brown scales, warty formations and cracks are located on its surface. There is no false leg.

False puffball warty

The mushroom has a tuberous or kidney-shaped shape. It differs from the common false puffball by the presence of a false stalk about 1.5 cm high, although there are specimens with a stalk 5–7 cm. The color of the fruiting body can be from gray-white to brown. There are warts on its surfaces.

This is a cosmopolitan species, growing in both hemispheres, including the tropical zone. Fruiting time is August–October. You can find it in forests with hard trees (for example, oak), on the edges, in gardens, along roads

Where do raincoats grow and how to collect them (video)

Recipes with puffball mushroom

When prepared correctly, puffballs are an excellent ingredient for many dishes. But only young mushrooms with white flesh have high taste properties. When it becomes brown and brown, hardness appears, and the pleasant taste and smell disappear. The mushroom picker should also know that finds cannot be stored for a long time: they are prepared immediately after collection.

Raincoats in a frying pan with sour cream.

To prepare you will need:

raincoats;
rast. oil;
salt and pepper to taste;
spoon of sour cream.

Mushrooms are cleaned and washed, and large specimens are cut into cubes; after which the raincoats are fried in oil for about 30 minutes. At this time, an intensive release of mushroom juice with a delicious aroma occurs, in which the pulp is additionally stewed. Onion half rings are fried in another frying pan. They need to be added after the roast is cooked, along with salt and pepper, leaving the dish on the fire for another 20 minutes. After this time, all that remains is to add sour cream.

Rain soup

To prepare a rich soup with a pleasant smell you need:

5 raincoats;
4 medium potatoes;
1 onion;
1 small carrot;
vegetable oil;
2 bay leaves;
to taste – salt and ground black pepper.

The mushrooms are processed, cut into cubes and immersed in a saucepan with 1.5 liters of water. First boiling time: 20 minutes. Add salt and spices to the broth and add chopped potatoes for another 20–30 minutes. At the same time, sauté the onions and carrots, which are added to the soup 5 minutes before readiness. The dish is served with fresh herbs and sour cream.

How to make raincoats (video)

Raincoat schnitzels

The pulp of the puffball is suitable for making unusual mushroom cutlets. You will need:

500 g of fresh raincoats;
500 ml milk;
100 g flour;
1 egg;
vegetable oil;
salt.

First prepare the batter by mixing flour with egg and salt. It should be like sour cream of medium thickness. Mushrooms are cut into thick slices and fried in oil, first dipped in batter.

Puffballs are interesting and useful mushrooms. Unfortunately, many people pass by them, not knowing about the beneficial properties and excellent qualities of these white balls. By preparing them according to all the rules, you can taste a delicious dish that will benefit the body.

After rain, round or pear-shaped mushrooms - puffballs - are found along the roadsides, in meadows and clearings. Ripe specimens have a dust-like spore powder inside, which flies out of the fruiting body when touched. Because of this, raincoats have other names: fluffer, duster, tobacco mushroom and others. Mushroom pickers often ignore it, but in vain, Europeans have long appreciated its taste qualities. Let's consider how edible puffballs are, their varieties and what is best to cook from them.

Edible or not

Almost all types of raincoats edible. But only young specimens with white, elastic flesh should be eaten. As the spores age and mature, their pulp becomes yellow, loose, then darkens and fills with spore powder. It is not recommended to eat only a slightly yellowed specimen, as it has already lost its taste.

Important! Sometimes the young ones look like fluffy birds. But this is easy to determine by cutting the mushroom body in half and finding in the section the stem and cap characteristic of the toadstool. If you have already found a toadstool at home, then all other mushrooms that came into contact with it should be thrown away, since this type of fly agaric has already “infected” them with its poisonous spores. Hands should be washed well with soap.

Similar to edible raincoats false raincoats. These mushrooms also have a spherical shape, but their skin and pulp are tougher, quickly darken as the spores mature, remaining dense for a long time, and often have a marble pattern and veins. Even young false puffballs do not have pure white flesh; yellowish or olive tones are usually present. Everyone also notices its unpleasant smell.
So the edibility of the puffball is easy to determine. You just need to cut it in half and look at the pulp inside. It should be white, dense, without a stalk or sign of spore formation.

Appearance

Raincoats have some common characteristics.

Fruiting body

The shape of the fruiting body in puffballs is similar to a ball or pear and has a closed structure. Sizes depend on varieties. They have a dense skin, often with spines that fall off with age. As the mushroom ages, it darkens and forms chambers inside that contain spore powder. The skin becomes thin and tears easily, releasing spores.

Leg

There is no division into a cap and a stalk. Some species have a pseudopod, sometimes barely noticeable, and in some it is very pronounced.

Pulp

The young mushroom has white flesh, quite dense and elastic. The mushroom ages quickly and the flesh first turns yellow and becomes less elastic and sticky. It then continues to darken, wrinkle and fill with spore powder.

Spore powder

The spore powder comes in dark olive or brown tones and looks like the dust that comes out of an old mushroom when pressed. The spores themselves are spherical in shape and can be of different sizes in different species.

When and where does the puffball mushroom grow?

Puffballs are common on all continents except Antarctica and grow everywhere. Basically, in our area you can look for them in late summer and autumn. You can find them anywhere, along roads, in gardens, on lawns, in meadows and clearings, in the forest. Some species are found only in clearings and meadows, while others prefer forests, most often coniferous or mixed.

Important! Raincoats strongly absorb various toxins, so they should not be collected along roads or near industrial centers.

Video: how and where raincoats are assembled

Varieties

Puffballs are a genus of mushrooms from the champignon family. The bigheads, a similar genus of mushrooms, belong to the same family, the most famous of which is the giant puffball (or giant bighead).

Giant

A giant raincoat can reach up to 50 cm in width and weigh up to 7 kg on average. This mushroom often grows in the tropics, but in our country it is also occasionally found in meadows, pastures, clearings and other places. It has a white or grayish color, which becomes brown in old age. The pulp of young specimens is edible and has a delicate taste.

Pear-shaped

This species grows on rotten wood in large groups and can often be found in pine forests. Mushrooms in their youth have white flesh, almost white color and slightly prickly, over time they turn brown and become smooth, as if cracked. Their pseudopod is usually noticeable and gives them the shape of pears 1.5-7 cm high. Like most puffballs, it is a good edible mushroom, but only when young.

Brown or umber

It looks like a small ball with a diameter of 1-6 cm on a pseudopod. When young and edible, it has a whitish color, which over time acquires ocher and then brown tones. The surface is covered with needle-like spines, which are darker in color than the shell of the mushroom. Up to 8 cm tall. Prefers coniferous or mixed forests.

Did you know? Since ancient times, puffball spores have been used in folk medicine to treat bronchitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis, and against tumors. The pulp is applied to wounds and scratches for their speedy healing.

Lugovoy

It has small dimensions of 1-6 cm in diameter and 1.2-5 cm in height. Over time, the spherical shape flattens and the white color turns brown. The wrinkled pseudopod is noticeable. It grows mainly in meadows, clearings, and forest edges. It is edible at a young age, when the flesh is white and elastic.

Spiky or pearly

The shape of this variety of mushroom is similar to a club or pear, up to 4 cm wide and 2 cm to 9 cm high. It has a wide, quite noticeable stalk, and its surface is covered with spines similar to pearls. The color is white, turns brown over time, and the white dense flesh becomes loose, soft and darkens. Young mushrooms are edible. They grow from June until late autumn (October) in clearings, forest edges and meadows.

Did you know? The largest edible mushroom in the world is the giant puffball. It weighed 22 kg and had a circumference of 2.64 meters. It was discovered by Canadian Jean Guy Richard in 2007. He carefully dug up this mushroom with a garden shovel.

Chemical composition and beneficial properties

This product contains (per 100 g):

proteins - 4.3 grams;
carbohydrates - 1 gram;
fats - 1 gram.

The mushroom contains minerals: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, fluorine, chromium, iron, zinc, iodine, rubidium and molybdenum.

The pulp contains useful enzymes amylase, lipase, proteinase and oxidoreductases. Contains amino acids tryptophan, methionine, cystine, phenylalanine and others.

Its fruiting body contains a natural antibiotic that suppresses the tuberculosis bacillus and the substance calvacin with anti-cancer properties confirmed by animal experiments.
Useful properties of raincoats:

cleanse the body and remove toxins and radionuclides;
have hemostatic properties;
low in calories - 100 grams contain 27 kcal;
have antibacterial properties;
antitumor properties (including anticancer);
increase immunity;
make the skin elastic and healthy;
restorative properties;
improve metabolic processes;
have a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
improve the cardiovascular system.

Use in cooking

Due to its excellent taste and availability, the puffball mushroom is often used in cooking in the preparation of many dishes - soups, salads, casseroles, appetizers, etc. Good for food only young specimens of this type. They can be consumed dried, fried, boiled, or pickled. Raw mushrooms should be used as soon as possible after picking or dried. You can also boil it first to stop the production of spores, and then fry, stew or pickle. Usually they prefer to dry or fry.
Before cooking, raincoats are cleaned and the tough skin is removed. Usually they are cleaned dry so as not to lose the mushroom spirit. They are dried by laying them out in the sun or in the oven over low heat, or you can also string them on a thread and hang them over the stove. Dried mushrooms are used as an additive that gives dishes a mushroom flavor. Mushroom soup made from dried raincoats is very tasty, no worse than from