In Mexico, Tar-Like Fungus Considered Delicacy
source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111789560
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In Central Mexico, locals are feasting on a unique delicacy that sprouts to life this time of year from the country's corn fields.
It's still called by its Aztec name, cuitlacoche (pronounced QUEET-la-coh-chay). The gray, stone-shaped fungus turns into a gunky, tar-like mush when cooked.
But it is revered by Mexican gourmet chefs and home-style cooks alike. The fungus — which some say has an earthy, tangy, mushroom-like flavor with a hint of raw corn — is a popular ingredient in soups and quesadillas.
Farmers hunt for cuitlacoche during the rainy season from now through mid-October.
Sometimes the farmers call the dish "el oro negro," or black gold.
"We have a very fine Mexican cuisine. It's not all about tacos," she says.
Businesswoman Ruth Martinez recently dined on a dish of chicken-stuffed cuitlacoche at a Mexico City restaurant.
When asked to describe how it tastes, Martinez evokes a popular song by Latino singer Enrique Iglesias.
"It's a religious experience," she says.
Not a bad compliment for a fungus that in other parts of the world is simply thrown away.
It's still called by its Aztec name, cuitlacoche (pronounced QUEET-la-coh-chay). The gray, stone-shaped fungus turns into a gunky, tar-like mush when cooked.
But it is revered by Mexican gourmet chefs and home-style cooks alike. The fungus — which some say has an earthy, tangy, mushroom-like flavor with a hint of raw corn — is a popular ingredient in soups and quesadillas.
Farmers hunt for cuitlacoche during the rainy season from now through mid-October.
Sometimes the farmers call the dish "el oro negro," or black gold.
"We have a very fine Mexican cuisine. It's not all about tacos," she says.
Businesswoman Ruth Martinez recently dined on a dish of chicken-stuffed cuitlacoche at a Mexico City restaurant.
When asked to describe how it tastes, Martinez evokes a popular song by Latino singer Enrique Iglesias.
"It's a religious experience," she says.
Not a bad compliment for a fungus that in other parts of the world is simply thrown away.
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nursediesel
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Italian Truffles comes to mind!
Sure we eat fungus all the time: bleu cheese, Gorgonzola, porcini, morells....
Sounds like a serendipitous find. Good for adding a little different taste. All Right! - 2 years ago
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nursediesel
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Cheeeba
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gnarly.
- 2 years ago
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Cheeeba
