      Recipes > Recipe Archive > Corn  Nothing epitomizes summer in America like sweet corn. Originally from Central America, corn (or maize) is a member of the grass family. It is an ancient crop; fossilized remains have been found in Mexico dating back 80,000 years. It was a dietary staple of Native Americans long before Columbus arrived, although it was unknown in Europe or Asia before the first colonists settled in the New World. Indeed, it’s widely held that the survival of this country’s early settlers depended on corn and the Native Americans who taught them how to grind the grain and cook with it. Corn is a most versatile grain, and every part of the plant has a use: husks for tamales, kernels for food, silks for medicinal tea, and the stalks for animal fodder. It was truly a life-giving gift, and today its by-products range from bourbon and whiskey to oil, starch, flour, and ethanol, to name a few. Modern corn is one of the most widely grown crops in the world. There are numerous breeds of corn, of which sweet corn (or what we call “corn on the cob”), is America’s favorite. The majority of the world’s crop is referred to as “field corn”; it’s picked at a more mature, starchy stage and isn’t intended for human consumption. In the United States we’re most familiar with two varieties of sweet corn: white and yellow. Yellow corn has large, full-flavored kernels, while white corn is characterized by smaller, sweeter kernels. Recently, super-sweet hybrids have been bred to have more than twice the sugar content of regular varieties. Some of these new hybrids convert sugar to starch more slowly, so that corn no longer needs to be eaten within hours of picking. This is a highly desirable quality for corn that’s shipped to distant markets, and these hybrids can remain sweet and juicy a week after harvest. Sweet corn’s peak season is late May through September. Unless you’re buying a super-sweet hybrid, purchase only as much as you can eat in a day or two, because the moment corn is picked, the sugar begins its conversion to starch, reducing the corn’s natural sweetness. For the freshest taste, always buy corn in its husks and leave it unshucked until just before using. Look at the silk spilling out of the top of the ears: shiny, golden-brown silks indicate freshness, as do green, snug-fitting husks. If it’s allowed, pull back the husk and check that kernels are plump, shiny, and moist, and that the rows are tightly spaced and extend from tip to stem end. Milky juice should spurt out of a kernel when pierced with a fingernail. For best results, cook corn as soon as possible. If you must store corn, refrigerate the ears in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer for a day or two. Corn left at room temperature loses its sugar six times faster than when it’s kept at 32 degrees F. To prepare, pull back and tear off the husks. Rub off the silks with your hand, or use a soft, dry toothbrush or vegetable brush to remove strands lurking between the kernels. If a recipe calls for removing the kernels, cut off the tip and bottom of each ear. Hold the cob upright in a large bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to slice from the top downward, cutting off 3 or 4 rows of corn at a time, but not cutting too deeply into the cob itself. You want to leave about 1/4 of the base of the kernel attached to the cob. Rotate the ear and repeat, until all kernels have been removed. An ear of corn will yield about 1/2 cup of kernels. Corn can be used in any number of ways, although classic corn on the cob remains one of the best preparations. Simply simmer the ears in plain, unsalted water (salt toughens the kernels) for no more than 5 minutes (or until you can smell the corn), then drain and drizzle the cobs with melted butter. If you’re game to delve beyond the simple perfection of corn on the cob, we’ve created a number of delicious recipes in our website archive to pique your interest. The days of summer are growing shorter, so take advantage of the last weeks of the season to celebrate our sweet and succulent native wonder.
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