Subject: Corn Smut

From: [email-masked] (Bowman, Bruce)
Date: 19 Aug 1994 15:58:21 -0000

>I ate some corn smut last night.  Im still alive.  I wasnt sure how to
>prepare it or what parts were good and not good.  I learned a little in
>the process.  I just cooked it like mushrooms, a little olive oil and lots
>of garlic.  Some of the pieces that weren't full of spores were pretty
>good.  I've heard its a delicacy in Mexico.  Does anyone have any tips.

Corn smut, if prepared properly, is wonderful. I'm told that Aztecs used to 
have a festival for it. We call them "ustilago mushrooms," since they sell 
better that way. There's something about that word "smut" that has a definite 
negative connotation! It is not particularly pretty, and I must admit that I 
had to see my wife eat it without dying before I would try it myself.*

Two years ago was a fairly dry year, and we didn't get much corn smut. I was 
disheartened. If you aren't careful, you will end up eating all of it from your 
fields and you won't get it anymore!

Get a number of fresh ears of smutty corn. Pick off the fungus, and the rest of 
the ear can be used for creamed corn or whatever. Use only the fresh ones -- if 
you break it open and the inside is powdery, throw that one away (it won't hurt 
you, but it won't taste as good either). Try not to get corn silks in it. 

Once you have a good-sized batch, we just chop 'em coarsely and saute in a 
little olive oil, as you did. You really don't need garlic (but if you're like 
me, garlic is God's own manna from heaven and should go on virtually anything). 
It will be black -- don't let that bother you. You can eat them straight up, 
but we prefer to put them on tacos or other Mexican food; lay it on thick. They 
retain something of a "corny" flavor.

Don't spare the jalapenos. Caramba!

If you do choose to freeze it for later use, the resulting mixture will turn 
out rather gooey -- and with much of the original flavor and texture gone it 
just isn't the same. Dehydration would probably be a better option.

Bruce

*My wife once told me that milkweed shoots were edible, too -- tasted like 
 asparagus. She cooked up a bunch of them one spring. Since I love asparagus, I 
 gave them a try. They were >>HORRIBLE<< -- very bitter, and anything the juice 
 touched on your plate was also rendered unpalatable. I gave them every chance 
 -- ate two shoots -- then I just couldn't take anymore.

 I did not die, or even get sick, so I must assume they are indeed "edible." 
 However, I do believe I would rather die than make a meal of them. Needless to 
 say, I became a skeptic when told that something else was good. 

From: BOWMAN BRUCE E                (MCVAX0::RC30906)

To:   VMS MAIL ADDRESSEE            (IN::"[email-masked]")