Corn on the cob has always been one of my favourite parts of any summertime meal. My dad always grew a few rows of corn in his garden, and as the summer went on the stalks grew taller and taller and I could not wait until it was time to pick a few ears. Alongside a smoking barbecue, I loved getting my face covered in butter while eating fresh picked corn on the cob.
At Forsythe Family Farms 2009 Inc. the corn is coming in strong! They have a great crop of gourmet sweet corn that is available at the farm market.
There are many varieties of corn, so we should make the distinction between sweet corn and field corn. Field corn is not grown primarily for consumption as human food, but is instead often used for livestock feed, or used for processed corn products like corn starch and corn syrup. It is harvested when the kernels are dry and mature. In contrast, sweet corn is grown primary as an edible crop, and is picked when immature, what is called "milk stage."
We may remember old varieties, like the classic yellow corn, but they have lost popularity to some of the newer gourmet sweet varieties like Peaches and Cream. It's called "peaches and cream" because it is a bicolour variety - which just means it has both yellow and white kernels.
Sweet corn is eaten as a steamed vegetable, or on the cob, usually served with butter and salt. It is also popular in Tex-Mex cooking in chili, tacos, and salads. The most common methods for cooking corn on the cob are boiling, roasting, and grilling. Corn on the cob can be grilled directly in its husk, or it can be husked first and then wrapped in aluminum foil. I also heard that apparently there is always an even number of rows of kernels, though I have never taken the time to count them myself!
Stop in to the farm to pick up some freshly picked sweet corn today.
While you're there, ask about the fresh tomatoes. Farmer Forsythe picked three 11 quart baskets just the other night. Tomatoes are one food where I definitely taste a difference between fresh picked from the field and the ones that you find in the grocery store. These tomatoes are bursting with juicy flavour that you can even smell as soon as you cut into them!
If you're looking for a fun way to spice up your corn on the cob, Buzzfeed has shared 15 Mouthwatering Ways to Try Corn on the Cob this Summer: everything from watermelon & corn salsa to bacon wrapped corn with honey glaze! Click HERE for those recipes.