Wood Ear

(Auricula polytricha) is the most commonly marketed of the Auriculariaceae family, but one finds other members and common names, such as Cloud Ear, Tree Ear, Mo-Ehr, Silver Ear, Black Fungus, Judas Ear, Jew’s Ear, Kikurage, Mook Yee (all either Auricularia polytricha or Auricularia auricula).

Once sold in dried form only, in Chinese groceries, the fresh form of wood ear is becoming somewhat more widely available, thanks to our large Oriental-American population and an enormous interest in Oriental food. In addition to its culinary virtues, wood ear is thought to be instrumental in preventing heart disease and beneficial for other health reasons, which has made it even more widely respected in the Orient. (Wood ear does not, however, meet the claims of one grower, who states that it consists of over 50 percent protein and will prevent cancer.) Currently cultivated and primarily available on the West Coast, the market for this unique specialty is growing, as it is for all kinds of exotic mushrooms.