Auricularia auricula-judae is known as the Jelly Ear Fungus (or, perhaps less politically correct but nevertheless a strict translation of the scientific name, Jew's Ear). To find these rubbery (in anything but very dry weather, that is) purplish-brown fungi you need to look on dead elder wood - either standing or fallen trunks and branches that have decayed to the point where the bark is peeling or has fallen away. Shady, damp places are generally best of all.
A plate of these fungi would make a very disappointing meal, but if you add a few, chopped into thin strips, to any other mushroom dish the jelly fungi take in the flavour of the rest of the dish and add a very pleasant 'al dente' element. (There may be other ways of cooking Jelly Ear Fungi that we don't know about, so if you do then please post a message to this blog, as we are always interested in new recipes for nice fungi dishes.
