Giant puffball: Rare treasure for mushroom hunters
Giant puffball is one of the largest mushrooms in the world. It is admired for its size and nutritional values. Although rarely encountered, it is a true trophy for mushroom hunters.
It is one of the largest mushrooms in the world, reaching a diameter of up to 50 centimetres and weighing up to 20 kilograms. The giant puffball is more commonly found in the northern part of the country, where mushroom hunters seek it like a trophy. Few people know this giant mushroom is tasty and shares many similarities with the white button mushroom.
Giant puffball - what does the "holy grail" of mushroom hunters look like?
The fruiting bodies of the giant puffball are characterized by their impressive size, ranging from 10 to 50 centimetres in diameter and a circumference of up to 135 centimetres. They have an irregularly spherical, slightly flattened shape, resembling a puffball. The largest specimen was found in 1955 in northern Czechia—it weighed 21 kilograms, had a circumference of 210 centimetres, and was 46 centimetres tall.
Giant puffball - where to gather?
The giant puffball develops some of the largest fruiting bodies in the mushroom world and certainly the largest among those. The fruiting bodies appear in summer and fall on fertile, humus-rich soils, mainly in parks, gardens, meadows, and pastures. The giant puffball prefers non-forest habitats, where it can occur singly or form fairy rings.
Giant puffball. Numerous health properties of the mushroom
Giant puffball is a low-calorie mushroom, containing 90 percent water but rich in proteins and dietary fibre. The beta-glucans in the giant puffball lower LDL levels, stimulate the immune system and exhibit anti-cancer properties. It is also a source of B vitamins, which alleviate nervous tension, improve mood, and enhance intellectual performance.
In addition to vitamins, the giant puffball provides potassium, copper, phosphorus, selenium, iodine, and a significant amount of unsaturated fatty acids. Calvacin, a substance with bactericidal properties, can also effectively combat cancer cells, particularly breast cancer.
How to prepare giant puffball in the kitchen?
In the kitchen, white and covered with a powdery coating, young fruiting bodies are sliced, fried, and breaded like cutlets. Older mushrooms darken and become unsuitable for consumption. The giant puffball is more widespread in the northern part of the country. Until 2014, it was a protected species, but now it can be gathered without concern. However, foresters appeal not to destroy these unique mushrooms due to their ecological significance.
