Today is Corn On The Cob Day. One of those food holidays that don’t make a whole lot of sense to me.
I have mentioned before, like last week when I was talking about strawberries, that I like local food. It seems to have better flavour, possibly because of the amount of time it takes to get to my mouth. And although I know corn on the cob is available in many stores right now, it can’t be overly local. Local corn is still about knee high, if that. So having Corn On The Cob Day at a time of year when the corn has not yet grown on the cob confuses me. But I think they have their reasons.
Mostly that reason is to sell more corn on the cob. With barbecue season in full swing, corn on the cob is in demand. There are many methods to cook your corn, but letting it spend some time on the grill is one of my favourites. Like I say, there are a lot of ways to cook it. Boiling, steaming, grilling, even the microwave. And we probably all have our favourites. Cooler corn seems to be a popular choice with some. Just fill a cooler with hot water, toss in the corn and come back later.
But I do like to toss it on the grill for a while. Although I have grilled it a few different ways, even pre-cooking the corn and then putting it on the grill to finish seems to add a little extra flavour.
There are also many ways to eat corn. Some might go around the cob and work their way down. Others may prefer the “typewriter” method, eating down the cob, then returning to start another row. Or simply going up and down the ear. It’s a personal preference in many ways. We have probably all the one that works best for us.
Some may also like to use corn holders to stick in the ends so as not to burn our fingers. I prefer to get my hands right in there. Just wait a little so I’m not burning the fingers, then just grab it and get in there.
I’ve also seen people added other ingredients, beyond just the usual butter and salt. Things like various herbs and chili peppers can be sprinkled on your corn for added flavour. Although I tend to like the flavour corn has on it’s own.
I may postpone my celebration on the day until it’s local. Or I may have to celebrate a few times over the summer. But I do like some corn on the cob.
