posted 6 years ago
Huitlacoche, or Ustilago maydis, is a fungus, but not a mushroom.
It blooms when water gets inside the corn husk, it infects and destroys the kernels of corn and it is best used after just a few weeks of growing.
If you grow corn and ever find "corn smut" infected ears, it means your land has the spores.
Since we know that to infect an ear water has to get between the husk and the cob, we can induce the probability of growing this fungi, even though it isn't a guarantee it's worth a try.
If you have never had this delicacy you should, it is the food of the gods according to the Maya culture, only high priests and the king were allowed to eat it.
The Aztec culture had everyone eating this tasty "Mexican truffle".
Interestingly, despite the fact that huitlacoche infects the corn, it actually significantly improves on the health benefits of corn.
The fungus has notably more protein than healthy corn contains, and a far greater portion of lysine, an essential amino acid.