Originally Posted by
Champlain Islander
I have eaten them but not after they get big and get the puff cloud. When they are white and small they do fry up in butter nice. If they are broken up it might be a person. I always go and kick them when I see them big in the woods.
Yes, the general rule is if they are white in the middle, they are edible. (there are some varieties of puffball that are black in the middle and they are not edible) but, as with any wild mushroom, make sure you know what you are doing. Even though puff-balls are one of the safest mushrooms to pick and eat due to their unique nature and the 'white inside' test, there is still one nasty look alike.
A young amanita 'bud' (
http://files.shroomery.org/files/14-...derma_egg2.jpg ) will look just like a small white puffball with the exception that when you cut it in half, you will see two gaps in the flesh that represent where the gills are breaking free from the stem. Make sure you know the difference before picking smaller puffballs.