If you were making corn for dinner and opened a husk to discover that the kernels were black and fuzzy, you’d probably throw it out (and so you should!). But in Mexico, corn that has been infected with the huitlacoche fungus is considered a delicacy, and its taste has been described as earthy. You can even sometimes find this filling on the menu in your favorite restaurant, as a filling for quesadillas or as an ingredient in tortilla soup.
The Aztec people were known to enjoy huitlacoche; they intentionally infected some of their corn plants by scratching the surface of their plants with a knife, allowing the water-borne huitlacoche spores easy access. The fungus replaces the normal kernels of corn cobs with large distended “tumors” similar to mushrooms. These galls form on all species of corn that grow above ground, and while it can technically infect any plant, it grows very well on corn.
In most countries, the fungus is considered a blight which ruins crops and causes destruction of potential harvests. Historically, huitlacoche has had some difficulty in American and European markets, since many government departments (including the United States Department of Agriculture) have spent time and money trying to eradicate it from the corn fields. Still, many people love the taste. In 1989, the James Beard Foundation in New York City held a high-profile dinner featuring huitlacoche, which it branded as the “Mexican Truffle” -a nickname which some restaurants use to this day.
In Mexico, huitlacoche is usually consumed fresh and can be purchased at farmers’ markets, restaurants, and street vendors throughout the country. It can be purchased as a canned product as well, which allows fans from around the world to get their fix. One easy and well-loved Mexican succotash recipe calls for huitlacoche to be mixed with shrimp, chorizo, onions, garlic, salsa, and serrano hot peppers. According to fans, the earthy and mild flavor of the huitlacoche helps to mellow out the heat from the peppers. A Mayan recipe from Cancun and the Riviera Maya adds huitlacoche to omelettes, where the flavor blends with the fats used to cook the eggs, giving the dish a truffle-like taste.
Whether you’re a fan of this unique delicacy or not, you may not know that huitlacoche has also been used by scientists to study genetics. Its simple life cycle behaves a lot like baker’s yeast, making it a good model organism for scientific research – not just for the study of plant disease, but also for the good of humans. Thanks in part to study of the fungi’s genome, the BRCA2 gene is now known to be one of the key genes which can lead to breast cancer development; study of its mutations and effects was made easier by this humble fungus.
So next time you find that your corn on the cob is black and fuzzy, throw it out! It’s probably unsafe to eat. But giving properly grown huitlacoche a try could end up being the highlight of your next Mexican vacation.
BookIt.com is an online travel company determined and dedicated to becoming the leader in providing travelers with the most intuitive online booking experience full of relevant information, helpful guides and travel tips. Find great deals on the blue bay grand esmeralda all inclusive at BookIt.com!