Mushroom of the year 2017: An exotic that is not one: three kinds of Judas ear (Mu-Err mushroom). Auricularia is one of the oldest and most popular edible mushrooms in Asia and has been cultivated for more than 1,500 years. The taste of the so-called Judas ear is very discreet and is more appreciated in Europe for its ingredients than for its flavour. The mushrooms have a jelly-like consistency and have an ear-shaped or shell-shaped fruiting body.