Why Huitlacoche (Corn Smut) is So Expensive | So Expensive

Huitlacoche, also known as the "Mexican truffle," is an edible fungus that forms on undeveloped corn ears and sells for as much as $40 a pound. Discovered by the Aztecs, the bulbous fungus has been consumed in Mexico for centuries and has recently become an increasingly popular specialty ingredient around the world.

However, the US has dedicated significant time and money to keeping its cornfields free of what they call "corn smut" and "the devil's corn." Huitlacoche forms naturally during the rainy season, but farmers can also inject the fungus into their cornfields to harvest the valuable "black gold". So why has Huitlacoche become so popular and what exactly makes it so expensive?

00:00 - Intro
00:39 – Huitlacoche Flavor
01:35 – Cooking with Huitlacoche
02:26 – Meet the farmers
03:02 – Harvesting Huitlacoche
03:17 – How the fungus infects corn
04:10 – Huitlacoche shelf life
05:00 –Inoculating the corn
06:10 – Preventing Inoculation Liquid From Overheating
06:50 – Protective Gear in the Field
07:49 – Injecting Improperly
08:27 – Controlled Infection Rate vs. Natural Infection Rate
09:25 – Heading to the Market
10:40 – Huitlacoche in Fine Dining
11:12 – Price Doubling
11:44 – Monopolizing the Huitlacoche Market
12:13 – Huitlacoche Price Changes

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Why Huitlacoche (Corn Smut) is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider