A GREEN thumb has second-guessed their horticulturist skills after growing some strange-looking corn.
Other gardening fans insist, however, that they hit the jackpot with their harvest.
Redditor UnhingedBlonde posted a picture of the odd ear of corn on the social media platform.
“All we got for our hard work was smut,” they said.
“We changed seed this year, thinking it was the brand of corn seed that caused our smut harvest last year.
“Nope, we got smut this year, too.
“Does anyone have some good tips on how to eliminate this from our garden area? I miss my fresh-from-my-garden corn.”
PLANTING PARADISE
Several Redditors weighed in on the garden find, saying all is not lost.
“You lucky, lucky person,” one wrote.
“Smut is a delicacy, you can buy corn cobs anywhere but smut is harder to come by.”
“And it’s expensive, too,” another chimed in.
WHAT IS CORN SMUT?
Corn smut is a type of fungus that can infect the plant. It is considered a delicacy in Mexico, where it is called “huitlacoche.” It is often served as a stuffing for quesadilla, but can be used in a variety of recipes.
“I’m a mushroom farmer, and [the] original poster has hit the jackpot,” said a third.
“If their patch consistently produces smut, they could make a significant second income by growing corn.”
“Lucky,” yet another wrote. “That’s a Mexican delicacy. More expensive than corn.”
“Oh, we call it huitlacoche in Mexico, I love it,” one more commented.
“Especially the quesadillas plus that with some chopped chiles.”
ABOUT THE FUNGUS
Smut is a type of fungus that can grow on corn.
It is also considered a delicacy, most notably in Mexican cuisine, and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
It is most popularly served as part of a quesadilla, but other recipes also call for it.
The corn truffle, or “huitlacoche,” grows in the wild and is considered a disease for the plant.
However, it doesn’t stop many people who love the taste from including it in their meals.
“That stuff is gold,” another Redditor raved. “Hope you searched some recipes online instead of throwing it away.”
