“My grandfather, who we called Papa, was always out in the fields or in the barn milking the cows. I loved summer when he’d pick an armful of the most tender Butter & Sugar corn and bring it directly from the garden into the kitchen. Mama filled a big blue and white enamel pot with lots of water and a handful of salt and brought it to a boil. The corn was ready in minutes. This was the only time we could run our hot ears of corn directly over Mama’s ultra super-salty homemade butter leaving a groove that showed that corn had been there. Wow, did that corn taste good!”
Excerpt from “Kitchen Gypsy”: Recipes and Stories from a Lifelong Romance with Food (Oxmoor House, 2015)
I can still taste the corn from my grandfather’s garden and every chance I get during the summer, I buy a dozen ears in his memory. But one thing for sure, I want to know that the corn I’m buying is super fresh. How can I tell? Here are a few tips.
My grandfather spoiled me. I like corn that was picked the same morning. That’s why I like to buy sweet corn at the farmer’s market. At the Ferry Terminal Farmer’s Market in San Francisco, the farmers write what time they picked the corn. My favorite is when I see a sign scratched onto a blackboard or scribbled onto a piece of cardboard that says “PICKED AT 5:51 AM”
If I’m at a grocery store, the best way to check is to look at the bottom of each ear to see that the cut is clean and fresh. If it’s brown and dry, I know it’s days old.
I’m not a person to tear the husks back on every single ear of corn that I buy. I never really know what people are looking for. I only tear the husk back on one ear to check freshness by jabbing my fingernail into a single kernel. If the juice pops out and hits me in the face, I know it’s fresh! Then I go for the big hefty ears, the ones that are heavy for their size. And most importantly, enjoy corn on the same day that you buy it!
Have fun cooking this summer and enjoy a few of my favorite recipes featuring corn:
Happy cooking,
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