Keepin' it real

Sometimes even the best of us need a backup plan. In this case it wasn't that glorious of a front runner. Blintzes that I had frozen several months ago... Apparently they didn't make it. We all took a bite and knew something was wrong. I can still taste it in the back of my mouth. Yuck!

As I worked on my second try, my thirteen year old came up behind me giggling with this film prop. She thought she was pretty funny...

Mama's gettin' certified

corn smut?

I've never known it as corn smut until I did a little research today.  

In Mexico it's known as huitlacoche

Check out this wiki article to read more about it. 

I've only cooked with it a couple of times and didn't actually but any today. 

But these beauties caught my attention at the farmers market. 

It's so gloriously unusual; I couldn't look away.

Isn't it interesting which varieties of rot we deem acceptable to eat, and which turn us off? 

From what I understand, most farmers will destroy crops that are infected with this fungus. Other more enterprising farmers, can often sell it for a higher price than corn itself.