One of our students brought in a bunch of puff balls—large mushrooms—that he found growing on North Campus.  It was quite a show for the other students, who had never seen anything like them. 

Student with puffballs.

This isn't the guy who found them, but he is in my FYE class.  He's a football player.  Some of those puffballs are as big as his head.

Sliced with a Ginsu

I brought one home to try.  They are supposed to be "choice edible."  It had the consistency of bread.

Breaded and fried

Stacey breaded and fried them with some garlic powder.  They were delicious, and tasted like your average mushroom.  One of my students had asked if I was worried about "catching something"  from eating a mushroom from outside.  I said that there was a time when humans ate nothing BUT things from outside.