TREE EAR

Chinese Mu Erh, also called Wood Ear, or Black Fungus, any of several edible mushrooms of the genus Auricularia that are popular in Chinese cuisine, especially that of Sichuan (Szechwan) province. Tree ears grow wild on and are cultivated on the bark of trees. They are gathered for use in a fresh state and are dried for storage. Dried tree ears resemble gray-black flakes of ash; when reconstituted the mushrooms expand into dark brown, ruffled petals that bear a fanciful resemblance to an animal's ear. Tree ears have only a very subtle, earthy taste. Rather, they are prized for their unique gelatinous-crunchy texture, which supplies contrast in soups and other mixed dishes. Cloud ears are a related species, and the term is often used interchangeably with tree ear.