I’m going to learn to cook, and enjoy huitlacoche. Whee-tlah-CO-cheh.
In the US, it’s known as corn smut, corn mushroom, or Mexican truffle. It is actually a fungus, which, is easily obtained in any of the corn growing states of Mexico, and even in some of the Southern states in the US.
You need to understand that when faced with a crop of corn, grown to feed the family, or sell in the market, that has gone to fungus, what is a father to do?
Learn to use what you’ve been given, and deal with it.
Someone, in the distant past, found his crops full of what is called huitlacoche here, and figured out how to make corn smut into a Mexican delicacy.
When I first came to Mexico, in the summer of 1973, just after our high school graduation, Ivan’s cousin, and his girlfriend took us to a restaurant in a beautiful, but abandoned monastery just Northwest of here, called Desierto de Liones, or the Lions desert. They have a restaurant there that served Crepas con Huitlacoche, or crepes with corn fungus. Doesn’t sound good, am I right?
Fortunately for me, I didn’t speak Spanish at the time.
The crepes were incredible. I have not had huitlacoche since, I am sad to say, but am planning to rectify the situation before you read this post. I have ordered a few cans of the stuff which will be delivered in the next 48 hours. Ever onward.
As I recall, the crepes tasted of mushrooms with a hint of corn. (I remember that but can’t remember what I did yesterday.)
First I’m going to try Huitlacoche en tortillas, something basic. I’ll move on from there. Stay tuned. It will either be a win, or not.
Stay happy, healthy, and safe. Wash, cover, and protect yourselves.