Gardeners peeling back husks of corn and finding gray globs, instead of neat rows of yellow kernels, should count themselves among the lucky ones.
Really.
Those globs are galls created by a fungus and are a delicacy dating back to the Aztec empire. The Aztecs called it huitlacoche and it is still considered “the gift from the gods” by the people of central Mexico.
In the United States, it’s often known by the less lofty name “corn smut.” And it can be a big problem in large quantities for growers of sweet corn because it can reduce crop yields.
Divine gift or smut, it’s a disease caused by the Ustilago maydis fungus that feeds on the growing corn.
Like most fungi, it develops best when conditions are warm and wet, which sums up the current growing season in Maine quite well.
August is when corn smut is most often discovered in Maine, according to plant experts at University of Maine Cooperative Extension, but depending on conditions, it can show up into September.
“The young galls are silvery-white in color,” according to a UMaine Cooperative Extension publication on sweet corn. “When the galls mature, they rupture into masses of powdery, black spores.”
Despite having a growth development that sounds a bit like a B-level horror movie, the fungus is highly prized by chefs and lovers of edible fungi. It’s often compared to the finest European truffles.
“It has a deep, earthy flavor,” said Abigail Avey, co-owner of Trillium Caterers in Belfast. “It is such a delicacy in Mexican cooking.”
Avey and her partner, fellow chef Michael Casby, had the opportunity to sample various dishes made using huitlacoche when they visited various restaurants in Mexico.
“It tastes and has the texture of a mushroom,” Avey said. “Which makes sense, since it is a mushroom.”
She said it added a unique and flavorful dimension to quesadillas, tamales and a creamy risotto.
“It was really different,” Avey said. “I’ve been cooking for 20 years and it’s not often I come across a taste that is unfamiliar to me and that is such a treat.”
Anyone finding huitlacoche in their corn can simply eat it raw on its own or sliced up on a salad. It can also be used in any recipe calling for mushrooms.
The smut galls should be harvested before they start to dry, but after they turn dark gray, according to the University of Wisconsin Extension. Do not eat them if the galls are powdery inside when you split them open.
If the idea of having fungal growths on your corn is unbearable, the only way to get corn smut out of your garden is by removing it by hand, since there is no fungicide that will kill it.
It is important to remove the galls before they burst open and spread their spores. Be careful to not touch any healthy corn plants when removing the galls to avoid spreading the fungus.
After you are done collecting them, take the galls out of your garden and either throw them far away or burn them. Do not add them to your compost.
Finally, since the smut spores can live in soil for years, it’s a good idea to plant next season’s corn in a different location if you don’t want to deal with corn smut.
