The largest were easily ten inches, possibly more. One bunch really caught my eye due to size and that there were six or seven growing in an exact circle about twelve feet or so in diameter. I know they are edible and three of them were in good shape that way. It's the location where they were growing; the soil has toxins.
I had the impression from looking at the hexagonal polypore that it would be tough in texture.
Ever find lobster mushrooms? I've never found those, they are not common here. I have found amanita muscaria a couple times, photographed only, lol.
The strangest fungi I've seen, was this giant, absolutely massive growth of I don't know what kind, located in the grass courtyard of three apartment buildings. It was at least five feet by four feet and almost three feet high. I'm wondering if the location and size of this was due to proximity to some sort of sewage. I watched it grow for years to that massive size. Finally, they got rid of it. Not an easy task. It had texture like wood, plus whatever was underground.
(my weird fungi story)
The puffballs you found sound like Calvatia gigantea, they are good when they aren't too large maybe around softball to volleyball size. Any larger and they get too foamy in texture. I dehydrate the foamy ones and turn them into powder for soup or you can even add it to bread.
I have found lobsters and they are really good, I have to go up north to find them though in Michigan or Wisconsin.
I bet that huge mushroom you found in the courtyard was a polypore of some kind, those just keep growing slowly forever, then if they die smaller ones often grow out of them.
Here's my lobster harvest from last year along with some bay boletes and chanterelles.
I didn't know you could add puffball to bread like that. Very interesting. Thanks. I really enjoy learning more. Some delicious lobster mustrooms there! I've never had bay boletes before.
I think you're right that is most likely was a polypore. Now that I recall, they had previously cut it off but it regrew with a fury and they had to dig it up to get rid of it completely. The very nature of fungi fascinates me, in addition to the way they look.
Have you harvested chaga?
So many mushroom questions, lol.
I have seen chaga before but wasn't able to harvest it because it was way up in a tree. I do buy a chaga powder and drink some with my tea every now and then for health benefits. The bay boletes are ok tasting but nothing compared to the king boletes from Europe.
Hahaha! Yes, you need to scale the tree a bit and also take a hatchet. I thought you'd be familiar with chaga, that's why I asked. It's excellent medicine.
The king boletes must be much larger (in my imagination).
Oh yeah the king boletes are huge, theoretically they grow here too but very rarely. Next time I go up to the northwoods I'll remember to bring a telescoping saw for chaga. One big chunk of chaga can last quite a while.
I looked them up to see and they are huge! They must be rarer where you are. I've never heard of them here, even from the fungi foragers I know. Yes, a saw or some way of cutting it. It's quite woody in texture. I had a large chunk and ended up using my carving chisel on it to split it. My friend has something he wears on his boots, probably some kind of climbing thing so he can get up to where they are. One large chunk will last you quite a while. It's good to note where they are and leave part of the chaga intact to grow back (from what my friend told me, I've never harvested one).