Cuitlacoche

Cuitlacoche is a fungus which infests ears of corn. The infected kernels swell and have a white rubbery texture, not unlike slightly wilted white cabbage, and they are run through with black spores.

It is regarded as a delicacy, so I was expecting something quite exciting. I was anticipating something strange and initially difficult to appreciate, in reality I found the Cuitlacoche quite ordinary. It didn't appear to me to have an anyway unusual or dificult taste or texture.

The most basic preperation is duitlacoche sauteed with onion and garlic which can then be added to a quesadilla. I tried a number of theses and they were perfectly plesant.

I am still perplexed by Diana Kennedy's talk of "inky black extravagance of flavour", this is certainly not what I found. I guess I'll have to try again, perhaps this time preparing the duitlacoche in the bechamel that she reccomends and perhaps I need to keep and eye out for it on full ears of corn rather than the packaged version I tried.