In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I thought I'd share one of my favorite words to say, "HUITLACOCHE"! (Wheedle-la-CO-chay). Try saying it. Try not enjoying it. What can I say, it's one of the most spirited words I know that pertains to the fungal kingdom.
What is it? We do have it here in the US, including Alabama, and it's actually a fungal sign of disease on ears of corn. It's caused by Ustilago maydis, which is a smut fungus. Smuts are basidiomycetes, which makes them close kin to rusts, mushrooms, polypores, jellies, and sundry others. Close is a relative term, here. This article says it's in the mushroom family. No, it's in the mushroom Division, if you want to split hairs, which I clearly do. But the recipe looks tasty! In here they suggest that the name is from the Aztec language of Nahuatl, meaning "raven poop". You can even buy it in a can. OK, that's soup, but I know you can get the straight stuff in a can as well.
I did try eating it once, and it is not what I'd call a good experience. I was working on a farm and would occasionally sample some of the corn fresh off the stalk, in the field, raw. A little bit is okay, and very sweet. Anyway, I found a smutted ear and tried a little taste. It was rather grainy. The smut I tried was black, which is apparently better if you cook it, while the white stuff is better raw.
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