Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis)

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?CLOEC 22 August 2010 Corn Smut (Ustilago maydis)

When removing the spent corn stalks some corn smut was seen on two plants. The fungus has culinary prospects. Here is the URL to an article about uses of this rather interesting fungus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut

[Millymollymandy]

I'm so glad I'm not the only Isher who gets smut now! It's been lonely this last 3 years.

[Durgan]

I'm so glad I'm not the only Isher who gets smut now! It's been lonely this last 3 years.

After reading in depth about the smut, I am rather disappointed that I didn't try using it as food. mine went into the compost heap. I have had smut in different parts of the country, where I grew a garden. Never what one would call a disaster, but a few cobs of corn infected.

[Millymollymandy]

I didn't compost mine as it's a disease - it went to the tip along with anything else dodgy. Did you come across any recipes or methods of cooking the smutted corn? It doesn't say much about it on the Wikipedia site, only that you might be able to buy it tinned via the internet, which I found quite funny! Who knows, it might be really nice!