Viva Veracruz

BJ · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 386 Location: Gulf Coast

Anyone know when fresh huitlacoche can be found in the local mercados? I'm guessing at whatever time the height of the corn/maiz season is.

Is the flavor of canned huitlacoche, an acceptable substitute when it's not available fresh?

Huitlacoche is an "ugly" corn fungus, but IMO worth trying, if you're unfamilar with it. For any of you who may be squeamish, perhaps if you don't see it before it's chopped and cooked, you won't have any trouble with it. It's absolutely delicious in quesadillas.

Jonna · Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:18 pm Post subject:

It's an acquired taste, one I've not acquired. Basically, they taste like dirt or compost. You are right, if I'd looked at them whole before I tried them I wouldn't be able to give you this culinary review. Corn Smut, lovely name in English. Oh, they are in the stores now, I just saw them at Mega yesterday. ¡Provecho!
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Calypso · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 3:48 am Post subject:

Can a fungus be fresh Wink

Sounds disgusting...I will have to check into it.
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stormy · Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 37 Location: Ohio, USA

I think mushrooms are considered a type of fungus. Jonna says they taste like dirt and compost, many people say the same thing about mushrooms. I know I have had some wild mushrooms that tasted very earthy.
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Bob Cox · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 264 Location: Apizaco, Tlaxcala

Somebody told me that huitlacoche was the car model that Moctezuma use to drive. Laughing

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azuledos · Joined: 02 Jan 2010 Posts: 19 Location: Anacortes, WA

Quesadillas de huitlacoche, eaten at a small open air restaurante on the Lago in Xalapa, is one of our fondest culinary memories from years of travel thru Mexico. Since then we searched menus mostly in vain (did find some once in a little comedor in Acapulco that was gone the next year). The opportunity to partake regularly each year is definitely one of the things that makes western Veracruz state attractive.

Jonna · Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:52 pm Post subject:

It's available fresh in all of the tropical states, here in all 3 states of Yucatan, in Tabasco, Veracruz coast and in the lowlands of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero at least, maybe farther north as well. It usually appears in the markets and along the road when the corn is ripening.
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Jonna
A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.

Blah! Blah! Blah! Ginger!

Bob Cox · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 264 Location: Apizaco, Tlaxcala

Huitlacoche is very common here in Tlaxcala and can be found on some restaurant menus. It's widely used in Mole Prieto (also called black mole). I don't personally care for it although many people consider it a gourmet food item. To know more about it follow this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut
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BJ · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 386 Location: Gulf Coast

I was completely startled Friday, when I saw fresh huitlacoche in the Coatepec mercado. For whatever reason, I was expecting to see it during the "height" of the fresh corn season, which I guessed to be later in the spring, or early summer, but DUH . . .

There are always ears of fresh corn in the mercado, so it's growing somewhere.

The best quesadillas I've ever had were filled with huitlacoche and flor de calabaza, and were served in a street side stall in Peña de Bernal, and also in a neighborhood mercado-tianguis in Tultitilan, Edo de Mexico.

Yum.