Have you ever walked into a cornfield in the blazing sun, pulled off an ear of corn, and shucked and devoured it on the spot? None of the sugars have had time to turn to starch, so the kernels are completely tender and sweet, dripping milkily down your chin until you are as triumphantly sticky as a two-year old with a popsicle.
Sometimes a cornfield isn’t handy, though, and you have to make do with just corn on the cob. Which is nothing to sniff at, even if the corn isn’t freshly picked. I visited the market a few days ago, and corn stands had popped up everywhere, each boiling cobs and distributing them with butter, olive oil, and salt to the ravening crowds. Children wandered around sucking on their corn with a look of bliss I haven’t seen since sugaring off season.
This particular corn made its way to my apartment from a bit farther afield than the local market: it came from Ontario. Ordinarily I like to keep my food more local, but in this case, I accompanied the corn every step of the way. I spent the weekend adventuring with my aunt in Stratford—seeing plays at the festival, walking by the river, ransacking bookstores, and generally having a fabulous time. We discovered a farmer’s market on Sunday morning offering fresh fruit, buffalo milk cheese—and the season’s first corn.
We took a dozen ears, and a few of them made their way back to Montreal with me, a delicious reminder of a trip well worth repeating.
Corn on the Cob
I think perhaps this is cheating, since it isn’t a recipe so much as a basic method. Who cares? It’s corn!
- shucked corn
- butter
- salt and pepper or smoked paprika salt (recipe below)
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook for 4 minutes. Lift the ears out of the water with tongs and serve with butter and seasonings.
Smoked Paprika Salt
- 1 T sea salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Mix everything together. That’s it. This also might be cheating.
Makes 4 tsp.
