Djon djon

Djon djon (djon-djon), or sometimes dion-dion from the Haitian Créole word for fungus, is the common name for a type of edible black mushroom often found in northern Haiti and used as a delicacy in some Haitian dishes, such as Diri ak djon djon. The name is thought not to refer to a single species of mushroom, but is rather thought to be a colloquial name for several taxonomically distinct species. The mushrooms can be found on the marketplace in some western stores, though reportedly they are sold at high prices — Gene Yetter of the New Jersey Mycological Association and New York Mycological Society reported that he found them being sold dried in New York for around $1 USD for a quarter of an ounce.[1]

Use in cooking

When cooked, djon djon mushrooms give the dish that they are in an "exquisite color, taste, and aroma."[1] Before cooking, the inedible stems are removed and the caps are used. Djon djon are often served with rice and a meat such as pork, or fish. Boiling the mushrooms releases a grayish-black color into the water, which can then be used to flavor and color the rice they are served with, giving it a black color.[2] Dishes utilizing the mushroom are often served in Haiti on special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, or on Christmas.[1] Haitians living abroad will often seek out the mushroom for use in cooking in grocery stores located in areas with a large Haitian population, though sometimes they may use a flavored bouillon cube produced by the German company Maggi instead.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nieves-Rivera, Ángel M. (February 2001). "The Edible Psathyrellas of Haiti" (PDF). Inoculum — Newsletter of the Mycological Society of America. 52 (1). Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  2. Yurnet-Thomas, Mirta (2003-08-01). A Taste of Haiti. Hippocrene Books. p. 81. ISBN 9780781809986.
  3. Ph.D, Lucy M. Long (2015-07-17). Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 258. ISBN 9781442227316.
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