As I wrote this, Morden’s Corn and Apple Festival was just about to begin.
We go every year. It’s one of my favourite summer festivals, equal parts midway, farmers’ market, street sale, annual homecoming and for many, a chance for a rare taste of corn on the cob.
If you’ve been to the Corn and Apple, you’ll know how people get in long lines for a free cob. You’ll hear many languages spoken around you as it snakes along and everyone waits cheerfully and patiently for their cob. Foods familiar to some are a real novelty to others.
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I remember an acquaintance from Hong Kong once telling me that, upon his arrival in Canada, and invited to a family home for dinner, he was uncertain how he was to eat the cobs being served. He watched everyone else, of course, but confided his first thought was he’d have to slice it.
We had to smile recently. Chatting about corncob eating habits with a young friend, we remarked how some eat corn rotating it round and round, others back and forth like a typewriter. She blinked for a moment, recalling what she’d seen in a museum once. A reminder of just how long we’ve been around — and eating corn.
If I had a nickel for every cob I’ve eaten all these years, I’d be a rich girl.
You can never get enough of fresh corn on the cob. I don’t think you can improve on the fresh boiled or grilled cob with any recipe either. I tried wrapping the first corn of the season in bacon last week, an idea from the recipe book Sweet Corn Spectacular by its author Marie Porter. It was actually quite tasty, but a bit fussy. I forgot to soak the toothpicks affixing the bacon to the corn, and they caught fire under the grill. The bacon, though, did adhere nicely to the cob and gave it an extra lick of salt and fat. But no, nothing beats a fresh, plain cob with just a dab of butter.
That said, a few days from now you may have had your fill of fresh corn, and may be looking to put some of it away for later. We always put away a few bags of corn cut from the cob for use in soups, stews, casseroles and other corn-based dishes over winter.
Did I just use the word winter? Sorry about that. It’s still absolutely and definitively summer. The corn is high, sweet and plentiful. Get out there and enjoy it, no matter how you like to eat it.
Here are three easy recipes for cob off the corn from Peak of the Market. Peak’s website has a wealth of recipes for all sorts of vegetables now in season.
If you’re looking for an excellent recipe book filled with corn recipes ask for Sweet Corn Spectacular ($16.95) by author Marie Porter and published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press. The book is part of the MHSP’s Northern Plate series of cookbooks focused on popular single ingredients of the American Midwest. Other books in the series are Rhubarb Renaisssance by Kim Ode and Modern Maple by Tersa Marrone. If your bookstore can’t bring it for any reason, you can order it online.
Cheddar Corn Pie
- 2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 c. old cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
- 1 c. corn kernels
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. shortening
- 4 eggs
- 2 c. milk
Grease 10-inch quiche pan or pie plate; sprinkle with bread crumbs. Combine bacon, cheddar cheese, onion, red pepper, corn, salt and pepper; sprinkle over bread crumbs. In bowl; stir together flour and baking powder; cut in shortening until in fine crumbs. Add eggs and milk; mix just until smooth. Pour over bacon mixture. Bake at 350 F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near centre comes out clean. Let stand for five minutes. Serves 4.
Source: Peak of the Market
Corn Fritters
- 3 large corncobs
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 egg whites
- 3 tbsp. cooking oil
Remove husks and silk from corn. Rinse and pat dry. With a sharp knife, cut kernels from cobs. Beat egg yolks in small mixing bowl with electric mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon coloured. Stir in corn, flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper. Wash and dry beaters thoroughly. Beat egg whites in medium mixing bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into corn mixture.
Heat oil in large frying pan; add batter by generous tablespoons. Fry fritters, a few at a time, over medium heat for five to six minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, turning once. Serves 4.
Source: Peak of the Market
Corn Casserole
- 2 c. fresh corn cut from cob
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- Pepper to taste
- 2 c. light cream
- 2 tbsp. butter, melted
Sprinkle flour and seasonings into uncooked corn. Stir cream and butter into floured corn mixture. Add to beaten eggs, mixing well. Pour mixture into greased casserole dish. Bake in 325 F for one hour or until knife tested comes out dry. Serves 2.
Source: Peak of the Market
