Sweet corn time coincides with tomato time around here. This year both are a little tardy due to the unwelcoming weather of the 2008 spring, but they are on their way! I noticed my tomatoes are growing nicely, but they aren’t red yet. We were a bit remiss about weeding them out this year, too, with the July 4th vacation to blame. Well, I have to blame something! but now thanks to one days hard work from my resident slave staff the tomatoes will get some sun, and the one denuded by hornworms will maybe recover.
But I was talking about sweet corn. Right! I used to grow my own until I figured out that being in the middle of corn country the farmers grow it cheaper and probably just as well… and without the sweat of my brow. So I buy my sweet corn at the local farmers market, which is a good way to spread the wealth around, anyway. When I did grow it, I liked to plant Illini Xtra-Sweet and Butter & Sugar. I also planted a white kerneled one called Silver Queen. If I grew my own again I’d likely have Silver Queen. They don’t always carry the white kernaled type in the markets.
I stopped planting my own partially due to the fact that we are surrounded by field corn and I never had the discipline to watch out for germination and pollination time synchronization. Plus the hoeing. I don’t like mid-summer hoeing… which is the main reason… and spaced planting times for a staggered harvest. Now that I think about it, there were a number of reasons I decided against growing sweet corn in my vegetable patch. Someone has to grow it though, because I can’t be without my summertime quotas of corn on the cob- which is how I like it best. Boiled or roasted on a grill- I don’t care, just fresh and lathered with butter and sprinkled with salt. The simplest taste treat you can find next to a freshly sliced tomato. Which I do grow! Because you just can’t find a good tomato unless you grow it yourself. Fresh with a dash of salt is my favorite, but I will do all sorts of things with a tomato. 🙂 Dressed with Italian or vinaigrette, with cold sliced cucumbers … grilled …. in gazpacho …. in ratatouille…. and more that I can’t think of at the moment.
But corn is best as simple as possible. If you boil it- no longer than a brief dip in boiling water.
The ladies around here are farm ladies for the most part and they can corn for winter, but I heard them complain a bit about it, so I bet it isn’t worth it… frozen seems better. Well, I think I have to run out to the farm market- all this talk of fresh sweet corn has made my appetite for it become so pronounced I cannot be denied! I must have sweet corn, today. See you all later, friends.
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