Friday, August 7, 2009

Cuitlacoche/Huitlacoche (Black Fungus)

The first time I shucked an ear of corn and saw this horrible looking black fungus I screamed and threw it. Although American farmers consider it a disease, Mexicans consider it a delicacy and use it in various dishes. No thank you!


39 comments:

DeniseinVA said...

Fascinating photos!

Jan said...

I agree with Denise, about your photos, but agree with you about eating it. Yuck!!

Vagabonde said...

I have never seen this horrible looking fungus before. You do have very nice pictures of a yucky subject.

PERBS said...

I would have done the same thing! I ahve never seen or heard of this before. We grew corn when I was growing up. Never. Lucky me! Until todya. Hope I don't have nightmares now. lol

Malyss said...

Biiiiirk! But maybe, when it is cooked, it looks better and is good to eat?..Well, I'll let someone else try, and tell me about it..Ü

Dick said...

It looks horrible but interesting.
I have never seen it here.

Judy said...

Great photos. But...YUCK! I love Mexican food and now I'll think of this when I go to take that first bite (lol).

Susan Tidwell said...

Gross!

I hope you find some good corn to eat!

Cindy said...

You have got to be kidding!!! They eat this? Oh no, not in a million years. Yuck!!

tina said...

Never seen it before. Wonder how the Mexicans prepare it.

happyone said...

Wow a couple of great photos, but I'm with you I would never even think of eating it. It looks so creepy - I would have screamed too!!

imac said...

Nice shots, but no thanks.

Linda said...

Okay, that is just gross, but it does make an interesting photo. Love your new blog layout - cool!

The Riverbum said...

Sure it looks yucky, but what a bunch of wimps commenting! Would you think a truffle would be so tasty? Or what about monkfish? Or how about an oyster?

Don't turn up you nose on something before you try it! Or at least sell it. In Mexican markets, it gets upwards of $20/pound!

JunieRose2005 said...

I have seen this in corn we have grown! Yuck! I'd never eat it!!


Junie

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Dot, That fungus stuff made me shiver... NO thank you... Don't want any of that!!!!!

We're home from a great vacation.. I'll post in the morning.
Hugs,
Betsy

Rose said...

I would love to know what the Mexicans use it for...great pictures that I would not have thought to take.

Susan Skitt said...

Frightening... I hope I don't get an ear of corn like that!

I recently saw how overseas people eat fried spiders like they do french fries here... another yuckie :)

Hope you are well.

Have a great week!

Tina Leigh said...

EEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW that is nasty!!! Mama some kind of bug has ate my lantanna up in less than a weeks time!

Carletta said...

I'm guessing Zimmerman on the food channel would eat it. :)
I haven't seen this in many years.
It did make for some great macros.

A Colorful World said...

How disgusting! Some people will eat anything! :-)

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm with you, Dot. No thanks! But I suppose if it's a fungus it's related to mushrooms, which I do eat. ;-)

AVCr8teur said...

I have never seen corn like that. I wouldn't know which part is the delicacy.

Anonymous said...

Well, Mexicans have a rock gut, too - they drink tequila like I drink milk, for GOD sake! YUCK!

Had to throw that in! LoL!

Craver Vii said...

I'm stoic on the outside, but on the inside, I screamed like a little girl!

Zaroga said...

Ew!... but great pictures!

Kevin said...

I did a search for corn fungus and this was one on the first page of results. The inspiration came from watching Iron Chefs on the food channel. I'm a culinary graduate and formal chef and never saw or heard of this before. the shows theme ingrediant was corn and included this it was quickly referred to by several names and I remembered Bobby Flay's corn fungus reference so curiosity showed me some interesting stuff. You can sell it for $20 per lb. Most US farmers destroy it but several states are cultivating on purpose. Cuitlacoche word origin is 2 parts from raven and sh*t. It is currently marketed as a truffle because birdsh*t sounds as appetizing as it looks. You pay the $20 I'll eat it.

Sheila said...

Great photos... but I couldn't/wouldn't eat it..!

Anonymous said...

belive it or not it is the most delicius thing you can ever eat,its better than love,there is a reason for its high price

Astrid Witte said...

Hi, it looks really awful! I',m losing my appetite... ;)

Dawn said...

Ewww, what causes that? I'd starve.

Sheila said...

Dot, my reaction would have been the same as yours..eek!
I don't know how hungry I would have to be to eat that!

Deborah Wilson said...

I'd throw up....

Becky said...

What a terrible thing to have on our corn!.Great shot though.
B.

tina said...

Nice new look! It is most soothing.

Kahshe Cottager said...

It looks like something from a science fiction movie! I would have screamed too! Great photo!

Emery Roth said...

Terrific shots! In the spring I was shooting in an abandoned corn field and found some wonderful things sprouting there. I hope to post some of those photos in a week or two, In the meantime, I was delighted to find these. No, I couldn't eat that.

Kolkata Web Design said...

Kolkata’s one of the best web design company, AceSoftech offers
web site design, web development and search Engine Optimization
at affordable prices. The Ma Kolkata web design company has designed and developed websites from around the world. Acesoftech is known among clients for its quality and professional services. Our low prices and timely completion of the project has made is popular.

Ben said...

Interesting! May I know at what other plants you will be able to see these fungi? What kind of climate are they more apt to grow? Nice photos, by the way! Thanks for sharing.

© 2009 'Two-column photo blog' by HUGE photo blog

Back to TOP