Ok, take a good, long look at that stuff the guy in the picture to the left is holding in his hand.
It’s called “huitlacoche” (we-la-ko-chee) . . . or “corn smut.” A fungus that grows on ears of corn.
Here’s the question: Does that look nourishing to you? no wait. Does that look delicious to you?
Well, sounds like you’d better get used to seeing it around. Scientists say this stuff is almost unrivaled for its nutritional value. Mexicans say it is delicious and view it as a delicacy and so do many other people whose taste is classified by those who know as “refined.”
Steve Sando, who is identified in this story as an “epicurean” says this about it: “Who cares about the nutritional value? The flavors are amazing!”
Yeah.
Ok, sorry Steve, but I’m just not up to putting what looks like 3 week-old cows’ brains in my mouth right now.
Nope. Can’t do it.
[HT: George Shubin]
some responses from my kids…
“Looks like a turtle face”
“Its a creepy skeleton head.”
“I don’t even want to think about it”
Richard, yeah, it looks like something those people on Survivor have to eat in a “food challenge.”
No thanks.
One of our problems today is that most folks concentrate on what tastes good without regard to its nutritional value, or lack thereof.
The last time our family went shopping we really started looking at all the ingredients in some of the stuff we used to buy. Result: we put half of it back on the shelf and went to alternative foods that didn’t have so much junk in them.
I don’t care how much “flavor” according to “refined tastes” this stuff has, if I can’t get it past my eyes or nose it ain’t going into my mouth!
Al Benson Jr.
Steve,
I must point out that your visual objection to this food source is not consistent with your love of fresh oysters. Perhaps consistency is the hobglobin of small minds.
Oops: “hobgoblin”