I grew up in a Dutch Canadian household, with my grandparents living in the other half of the big rambling farmhouse on the edge of town. My family brought with them a lot of Dutch traditions and ideas about food and cooking, one of which was that corn is for farm animals, ONLY.
Thankfully my parents were not so set in their ways as my grandparents, and opened their minds – and the cooking pot – to delicious Ontario sweet corn on the cob, dripping with butter and salt.
My mom and dad even became a bit of “corn gourmets” in their later years…only deigning to eat corn that was freshly picked. We’re talking less than an hour from the stalk…when they moved out to the countryside proper (and down the road from what became a favourite corn stand). In fact, the farmer they bought the corn from wouldn’t sell them corn that was more than 15 minutes off the stalk.
That corn never made it to the fridge. It was shucked and cooked immediately. In and out of the pot of boiling water in 3 minutes.
Is it any wonder then, that I’ve absorbed my late parents’ sweet corn snobbery?
The best fresh sweet corn is the stuff I can buy from the farmer on the way home from work – starting in late July – and have on the table within a half hour.
When I go to other peoples’ homes and they tell me they’re boiling the corn we’re having with our meal for 20+ minutes I want to weep. When I see that the corn they are serving came from the grocery store in a little styrofoam tray, and originated in the US, I want to scream. (But, being a good guest I do neither.)
I’ve met the couple in this video and they ARE sweet corn fanatics. They know to the hour when their corn is ready to be picked. In fact, their favourite variety has only an 18 hour picking window, according to Channing Strom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM38sojpG-E
Ignore the bit about 4 minutes. That is one minute too long, in my humble, corn-snobbish opinion.
How do you like your sweet corn?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
Growing up in Iowa, I’m a bit of a corn snob. When I first moved to Virginia with it’s clay soil, I couldn’t believe the stuff they tried to pass off as “sweet corn.” I won’t buy it in the store, and I rarely eat it unless it’s grown in someone’s garden. I like to put my corn in boiling water for a couple of minutes and I do not put butter or salt on it. If it’s really good, it can stand alone.
You’re right. Really good corn can easily stand alone. Thanks for the comment!
My Dutch mother had the same bias against corn – it’s for animals, not humans – and she never got past it. Thankfully, she still served it to us. hmmm – could it be that she thought her children were just animals? 😏
Sadly, I’ve never had the chance to appreciate really fresh corn.
For today’s guess, I’m going to stick with the summertime theme.
Let’s say Seals and Croft, “Summer Breeze”.
Don’t all Dutch mothers think their children are animals? Explains why we were always shooed outside, no matter the weather. 😉
Thanks for the guess, Joanne!
hahahaha!! Good one. The “fresh air” was supposedly for our health, but we all know now that it was for her sanity 😆
Yup.
I’m with you on this fast and fresh corn idea. I grew up in the U.S. midwest where the only proper way to eat corn-on-the-cob was to go to a farmer’s field, pick the corn yourself, then go home immediately to quickly cook it– serving said corn with lots of salt and butter + sliced fresh tomatoes. Store bought corn? No way.
OMG, alongside fresh tomatoes??? Even better!!!! A girl after my own heart. And how about fresh peaches for dessert? My mouth is watering.
Peaches are yum. Great idea for dessert.
There’s a farmer with a fresh corn stand just around the corner from where I live. The stand is self-serve, with a metal box where you toss your money, so I don’t actually know when the corn was picked. But now that I’ve read your post, when corn season comes this year, I will keep an eagle eye for the time of day when Claire and his wife bring their corn out to the stand.
And with all due respect to the unassuming hiker, butter and salt are musts for my corn.
Store bought corn – not a chance.
As for the song, Deb, I’m so sorry that this is just so far outside my wheelhouse. I’m a one musician woman and my guy is Kris Kristofferson. I wrote a bit of a love story to him a few months ago in a post called “The Man Who Showed Me How to Beat the Devil.” It’s in the Tribe Stories section of my site.
So if your song isn’t one of Kris’s (and it’s not!), I’m useless. To make something of an effort, I’m with Joanne on guessing summer and beach related but other than thinking “Oh, maybe a Beach Boys” number, I’m toast.
Thanks for the comment and the guessing, Karen! I confess I don’t know much about Kris Kristofferson the songwriter, other than he wrote the amazing Me and Bobby McGee.
I think I am missing out! I will check out your Tribe Story tonight, for sure.
Deb
Well, darn it, now I want corn for breakfast and there isn’t any in the house and it’s too early for the farmer’s market to be open for the season. I love my corn on the cob steamed in the microwave. Don’t knock until you’ve tried it. Press and Seal is the secret.
Hi Jean,
I’ve tried microwaved corn (wrapped in a damp tea towel) and also roasting corn (with husk still on) on the BBQ. Both are good, but my preference is for the old-fashioned way of corn boiled in the pot. Thanks for commenting!
Deb
Fresh sweet corn is the best, but I have to say I’ll eat pretty much any corn you give me. If I could survive on it, I might not eat any other food (well, except for some watermelon every once in a while).
Oooh, that explains the corny dog jokes! 😉😁
You taught me something! The three-minute thing! However, what to do if we can’t get Canadian corn?? 🙂 You’ve just succeeded in making me crave sweet corn. I. Must. Have. It. Now.
You can’t get sweet corn in California?! I thought you grew everything there. Damn, that’s harsh.
I’m from Iowa, the Tall Corn State, but I’m not that picky about my corn. Sure, I like it best fresh-picked and straight to the pot, but I still like it a day old. Or even two. As long as it has lots of butter and salt. I will say no corn is as good as Iowa corn. I’ve lived all over the country and nothing comes close. I use my Instant Pot to cook my corn on the cob now.
Your Instant Pot, you say? I have an electric pressure cooker too (not that brand) and I never thought of using it for corn. How do you do that Reticula? What settings and for how long?
P.S. I think the theme is summer.
Thanks for the guess, Reticula! My theme is the title of a song. Like Jeopardy, but instead of the answer being phrased as a question, it has to be phrased as a song title.