I have to say that I am a fan of my fellow blogger Marisa's writing. My good friend Risa (short for Marisa as well), absolutely gushes over some of the things Marisa writes as well, and feels that they must be kindred spirits. Anyway, Marisa just wrote about the joy of hot, buttered, corn on the cob. I love corn as well. A Lot. And so this sparked my interest and got me thinking about the delight of corn and how we eat it.
Hot, buttered, corn on the cob used to be one of my favorites, but something happened that changed me forever. There is a local farm stand here in mid-coast Maine called Beth's, and Beth sells some of the sweetest corn I have ever had. What is even better is that it is picked fresh every morning, is still cool from the night air, and often has juice dripping from the broken end of the cob. It's that fresh.
One summer morning years ago, I drove to the farm and waited anxiously for them to open at 8am, so I could load up on corn before they sold out for the day. I was in my car, about to head back to the lakeside cottage we rented for the summer, and decided to first take a look at the corn. I pulled back the firm leaves and silk and saw this super ripe and fresh corn and stuck my thumb into the firm, crisp kernels. They suddenly popped, splashing me with the juice. I stuck my thumb in my mouth to taste it, and it was sublime. As sweet as candy and full of corny good flavor.
I instinctively took a bite of the cool, raw, plain corn. And then another. Soon I had greedily gobbled down the whole ear. It was the best tasting corn I have ever had. Right there in the parking lot I tore through six ears. There was a mild breeze and corn silk was flying all over the place. I was wearing it, it was in my hair, and the car was full of the stuff. But I just didn't care. The corn was soooo good!
Since that day I rarely cook my corn and prefer to eat it raw. Decent corn tastes good this way and good corn even better. But it is when you get some really fresh, super sweet corn, that you have a real treat. Then the taste is amazing. I have tried to turn some of my friends on to this whenever they joined me in Maine for a summer vacation. Fellow blogger Joe has been through the initiation of eating raw corn in my car, with the silk flying all over the place, on more than one occasion.
If I do cook it, then I do so for a very short time. I bring a pot of water to a boil. Plain, no salt, and I turn off the heat. Then I drop the shucked cobs into the water and let them sit for only one minute. This barely cooks the corn, but does heat it up. Then I grab one of those super crispy cobs and devour it, absolutely plain. I disdain to eat starchy, old, boring corn anymore. I would rather go without.
The only time I really cook corn is when it is mediocre. then I salvage it by grilling in the un-shucked husk on the grill over hardwood coals until the outside is all charred. Then using paper towels to keep my hands from blistering I peel back the husk and silk and use it to form a handle. Then I slather the ear with mayo, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, and a nice douse of cayenne, and dig in.
So what do you think? Does anyone else like their corn raw? Plain? Unadulterated? Or is it just me?
May is National BBQ Month and National Hamburger Month
Cupcakes, not for dessert (unless beef is your idea of a treat)
Because eating French Fries in the car is so tough
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-14-2007 @ 6:53PM
rckymtnski said...
I am laughing as I read this; grew up in what WAS a rural area of Colorado, farmers always giving away tons of awesome corn. Ate it raw two days ago while making some edamame corn bell pepper salad and wondered if anyone else ever did that and why we cook it all anyway.Thanks for the post!
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8-14-2007 @ 7:26PM
Tamsin said...
Yup! I volunteered on an organic farm one summer and one day, when we were picking the corn, someone told me to try one, raw, right there in the field. I had literally just picked it off the stalk - it was amazing! It really is sweeter and juicier that way. I often eat it that way now.
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8-14-2007 @ 7:40PM
TC Byrd said...
I "discovered" this on my own, as well. Good stuff.
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8-14-2007 @ 10:34PM
LeisureGuy said...
I also eat corn on the cob raw. Have for a few years. It's great!
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8-14-2007 @ 10:34PM
Elizabeth said...
I completely agree! One time on a family vacation, we were driving across Ohio and pulled over at a farm stand right next to a cornfield. We weren't sure whether or not to buy corn, since we'd be driving all day. So the farmer waded into the field, picked us an ear, and pulled back the husk. It was the most delicious corn I've ever eaten, period.
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8-14-2007 @ 11:55PM
bdw said...
My father, a sophisticated, educated, and exceptionally intelligent 'ole Mississippi boy' with degrees in chemestry and agriculture, would pick sweet corn out of our garden and we would eat it immediately this way. Sometimes he would cook it lightly in sugared water, and serve it with butter, salt and pepper. Also Mexican style, with mayonaise, fresh lime juice, and chile.
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8-15-2007 @ 5:35AM
SMJ said...
We no longer grow corn in our garden because of this reason. My mum complained that I keep eating the corn off the stalks and no one else actually ever gets any corn. Raw corn is delicious, but raw baby corn is even better. I rarely wait for the corn to fully develop before I start picking them to eat!
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8-15-2007 @ 8:20AM
Marisa McClellan said...
Aww, thanks Jonathan! I'm a fan of yours as well!
And, for the record, just because I like my corn cooked, doesn't mean that I don't also like it raw. I think the primary reason I cook it is for the taste memory it evokes when eaten hot, buttered and salted. But there is nothing in the world like fresh, sweet, raw corn.
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8-15-2007 @ 8:47AM
Ahd Child said...
I was at a party/festival on the roof of a Whole Foods a few months ago. Some friends of mine went downstairs, bought some ears of corn, came back up and started eating them. I was kind of shocked and a little disgusted, but one of my friends wouldn't let me get away without trying an ear. I was pleasantly surprised. I still prefer corn cooked because there was a slight chalky aftertaste, but it was definitely sweet and juicy. I'd have no qualms about doing it again.
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8-15-2007 @ 9:22AM
JB said...
For me... crisp super sweet corn now means YUCK.
The markets are now full of new breeds that have extremely long shelf life, and don't turn their sugar into starch. This means that it's all so crisp and sweet it's like eating sugared jicama cut into little kernels.
I had some real corn a few weeks ago on vacation, grown with the old breeds, no shelf life, each kernel a delicate balloon of delicious flavor. The super crisp/hard stuff now grosses me out.
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8-15-2007 @ 10:47AM
anita said...
There used to be (and still may be) a vendor at the Mountain View, CA farmers market with a very distinctive nasal voice. She'd cry out to anyone within earshot: "Daaawnt couk mah caaaawn! Just heeeeet it'n'eeeet it." We chuckle about her every time we make corn on the cob -- but she's right; we just drop the ears in until they're warm. Yum.
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8-15-2007 @ 11:09AM
jsmylie said...
I just discovered this last night! Everyone else was complaining about the corn being undercooked and slathering it in butter; I just lightly salted it and dug right in. It was incredibly sweet and extremely juicy!
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8-15-2007 @ 2:48PM
kaitlin Hess said...
I thought i was the only one who ate several ears at a time! Just go out in the field , husk , and eat!
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8-15-2007 @ 9:51PM
Mike said...
I "discovered" this over 20 years ago. A bus stop I used to wait at for the ride home from school was next to a corn field. Bored while waiting for the bus, I decided to try an ear. Yummy.
I've tried a few times since then, some were good, but never quite as good. It might be since it was a surprise the first time, but I've had another theory. Stolen corn off the stalk might just taste better than purchased corn out of the bin.
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8-15-2007 @ 9:52PM
John Starnes said...
I am a lifelong organic gardener and have always eaten my home grown corn raw right there in the garden....a few friends who thought I was nuts tried it and were blown away...RIGHT off of the plant raw corn on the cob is a religious experience! John
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8-16-2007 @ 10:18AM
Jon said...
A question for the raw corn eaters: Does it cause any problems for you later? Corn has a lot of fiber, and is known to cause some gastrointestinal issues for a lot of people. I imagine that would be worse if the corn was raw, since cooking tends to make food easier to digest.
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8-17-2007 @ 8:03AM
Eric said...
Raw corn and fresh blueberries make a killer salad, simply tarted up with some minced shallot and parsley, maybe a squirt of lime juice or lemon or splash of vinegar.
I'm with the posters who hate the new supersweet varieties - all sugar, no savor. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere with U-Pick or farmstands, there's a chance of getting corn that doesn't taste like it should be in a bag marked Brach's and served at halloween parties.
E
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8-20-2007 @ 12:19AM
Sarah said...
That's kinda funny because I do the same thing - eating corn raw. I work at a family run farm and we do farmers markets twice a week. When I feel a little hungry, sometimes I'll grab a piece of corn and shuck it and chow down. I usually get 4-5 people looking at me weird and at least one that says, "You're eating that corn raw?" I always say, "You know its awesome corn when you can eat it raw and it tastes awesome!"
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8-21-2007 @ 2:09PM
Never teh Bride said...
Add me to the raw corn eaters. I discovered how good it is out of sheer laziness.
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8-25-2007 @ 7:26AM
JEMAS said...
I like raw corn better than cooked cuz there's no way it can be soggy and soft like over cooked corn. I got some corn the other day and I was going to warm it up in the oven just to heat it. When I shucked the corn I thought I'd try some to see how it tasted before cooking and I was greatly surprised. Raw corn is the best.
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