What is HUitlacoch?

HUITLACOCHE is a fungal, culinary delicacy Ustilago Maydis , which grows on the ears of corn. The inhabitants of Mexico and the indigenous people from the southwestern United States enjoy this rich, smoke ingredient in foods such as Tamale, soups, QueSadilly, appetizers and ice cream. While farmers consider Huitlacoche to be infectious suffering that destroys corn crops, has a long history in the kitchen of Aztecs, Hopi and Zuni. "HUitlatl" means excrement and "koche" Raven. Europeans tried to rename what they consider to be a grotesque word to popularize an unusual sponge by calling it to the Mexican truffles, the Aztec caviar or corn sponge. Yet HuitlacoCche remains a regional specialty because it is best fresh, but has also been preserved or frozen for export.rly rare because it appears on the ears of corn when ripening after heavy rain or high humidity. Some farmers experiment with intentionally cultivating, but have not had much success. HimUba resembles gray or silver dry bulbs inside the ears along the normal core. Once the cores are "infected", they will swell slightly and darker shades of gray have grown during spores. Huitlacoche can be harvested just as you would harvest unaffected corn cores.

When mushroom monsters are cooked with other heavily flavored ingredients such as chile and garlic, cooked. Through heat, huitlacoche escapes ink liquid, turns the black mixture and gradually cooks on puree. It can also be roasted in butter or oil. Although farmers long for uninfected corn they disparage mold growth like sad, soot or devilish corn, Hopi calls it Nanha and Cochiti call it Wesa. These tribes honor its delicate taste and strong life -giving properties. It transforms steamed meat, Tamales and QueSadilly with rich, earthy and pungent taste.