12 August 2011

Corn smut

When you go to check on the corn growing in your garden and discover it looking like this:


...the first thought that enters your head (I'm guessing) isn't likely to be 'Ooh, how delicious!'. I stared at these in dismay, wondering what on earth had gone wrong this time.

A little research later and I discovered that appearances had been deceptive. This fungus-infected corn is an ancient delicacy, known in Mexico as huitlacoche. It's been rebranded 'Mexican truffle' in the rest of North America, to distract attention from its more usual farm name of corn smut. Which, you have to admit, doesn't sound all that tasty.

 I'm not sure that anyone else in the house will join me in trying them, but supper for me tonight is going to include some of these. Perhaps if I sell it to the others as an Aztec delicacy I might get a few takers...


Apparently it comes in cans, too. And looks even less appealing that way...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck Amanda. I like how you are looking at it in a glass half full kind of way!

Lisa from Iroquois said...

What a brave heart you have to try this, but then you also cooked up some nettles in the spring - so good luck. Let us know that you survived, and how it tasted :)