Current Events > The sweet corn has been remarkably good around here this year

(+) Yeah! (+)

Despite covid isolation, despite abnormally high summer temps, despite local and general flooding due to excess rain, at least we got one of the most delicious sweet corn seasons in recent memory. Not cloyingly sweet, like some varieties which were engineered to absolutely maximize sugar content, but amazingly sweet with an intensity that meshes with the savory butter/salt additions. Occasionally we use other spices/juices to enhance the flavor.

I get our corn from a local stand, who gets it from a particular local farmer. Picked fresh every morning, its consistently great, and falls off only about 10-20% in flavor if we cook it the next day, rather than the same day.

Weve tried many preparation methods over the decades, but weve settled on a microwave method where the base of the ear is cleaved off about as close to the last part of the cob as we can manage. At the other end, husks and silk are trimmed of an inch or so distal to the end of the ear. About half the husks around the ear are removed, then the thing is microwaved, about 2 minutes per ear. It ends up steamed nicely inside the husk, and once it is cooled enough (or sooner, with mitts on), the whole ear is squeezed out cleanly sans silk, by pressure on the distal end.

We find using a whole chilled stick of butter is the best way to get it coated. the ear just gets set on top of it and rolled until sufficiently coated. Then add sea salt and eat. Re-butter/season as desired. After I finish eating from the cob, I generally use my knife to removed any corn Ive missed. Paper grocery bags are placed strategically for the husks and cobs.

3 to 4 ears per person seems about right, though at times weve gone as far as half a dozen per the Mrs. and myself, usually when we decide the corns so good we wont bother with other food.

Tonight, were ready to enjoy this mornings corn harvest with a big bowl of chili. The farmer figures hell still be harvesting for another week or two.

Hows the sweet corn been by you?
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