96 Comments

I was so happy to see that you insisted that corn on the cob be eaten "typewriter" style. From the time I was a little girl until my father passed away when I was 57, the requirement was to always say, "Ding!" at the end of the row of corn he was eating whenever we were together. If I didn't say it right away, he would pause and look at me until it registered. A precious memory, to be sure!

Expand full comment

Oh Lord -- the "ding" makes me happy. I will be doing this from now on.

Expand full comment

I go along with your cooking method: cover in water, bring it to a boil, and the corn is ready when the water boils.

I learned some years (decades) ago a buttering technique I like that doesn't involve wrecking a stick of butter or rolling your corn in a slippery blob of butter on the plate. It is this: place a nice big blob of butter onto a quarter or half slice of bread (your favorite kind, or a roll, or whatever) and just use the bread to butter your corn all around. Nice and neat, and with a nice leftover piece of warm-buttered bread (or roll or whatever). Quick and easy.

Expand full comment

wow -- so smart! Thank you.

Expand full comment

Use bread - that's genius!

Expand full comment

I realize that no one will read this. But I have a simple way of making corn. Just barbeque it, husk and all, turning it every few minutes. I'm not sure about the exact timing, but probably about 12 minutes, until the husks are brown (don't worry if they are black in places). Then husk while you take them off the grill (use oven mitts!!!!).

They cook in their own juices, and taste delicious.

Expand full comment

I read it — and that’s the method at our house, too! Throw it on the grill in the husks (we don’t bother with that soaking nonsense), turn once in a while until black in spots, shuck, and eat with plenty of butter and salt. We’re about to dig into some right now!

Expand full comment

Sounds amazing -- except I almost never grill. I do love toasty corn, however.

Expand full comment

Microwave with husks on, because then when you peel it the silks come off with the husks! No bother, no silks. 6 ears together in the microwave 8 minutes. By the way, if you are freezing corn, this is the exact amount which will fill a quart-size zip freezer bag.

Expand full comment

Excellent suggestion. I may freeze some this year.

Expand full comment

My method exactly…soooo easy with removing the silks, and the corn is perfect!!

Expand full comment

You always make me smile and chuckle. Thank you and Happy Labor Day to you too

Expand full comment

Best way to cook corn on the cob:

Start the water.

Pick the corn.

Add shucked corn to water.

2 min.

eat. It doesn't matter which way. even if you have to cut it off the cob now---it's all good.

butter isn't necessary when it is this fresh.

Because I have to buy my corn now, of course I can't start the water before picking. Right now I put fresh picked green beans in, at most, 2 in. water----corn floats. You don't need a full pot of water. When it is boiling add corn. By the time you find your dishes, fork, sharp knife and drink 2 min or so is up. Eat.

Expand full comment

I also don't butter it. When it's so fresh ... what's the point?!

Expand full comment

Yes, absolutely start the water before you pick the corn!

Expand full comment

Years ago at my friend, Charles' house, he served a stand alone corn "course". It was August, when the corn out East is at its best and we all slowly savored the flavor and sweetness, in a way that we might not have, had it been served with the rest of the meal. Ever since, we always have a corn "course"!

Expand full comment

I'm from North Carolina. It's hard to beat corn on the cob, boiled until just tender. Salt, pepper and butter. Although, creamed corn is wonderful, too, served with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

Expand full comment

I discovered microwaving the corn several years ago. As someone who grew my own corn for many years when I had a safe space for a big garden, which means I would pick and eat raw immediately, I find the convenience of microwaving too good to be true. But it is. I have never had the corn turn to mush. I buy just picked, local ears, always the slimmer, smaller ears. 2 minutes in my high voltage microwave, unhusked, is perfect literally every time. I always do 2 ears at time, so 4 minutes. The husk and silk slides right off afterwards. We eat it plain, right away, maybe with some pepper :)

Expand full comment

I also LOVE eating corn raw on the cob. (Thought I was the only one!)

Expand full comment

Glad to hear we are not the only ones who like just picked raw corn. I tried a variety of heirloom seeds, one called Candy Corn was the best, sweetest corn, but did not have tight husks and would get wormy on top, so we would pick the corn early and just gobble it up :D. I also grew popcorn....did not eat that raw, but it was fun to grow.

Expand full comment

When I was a girl, you could usually find a worm shucking a dozen ears of corn. No more! The worms are gone.

Expand full comment

You are absolutely correct about eating corn typewriter style. My husband eats the wrong way and I am always happy to show him the error of his ways.

Expand full comment

Thank you! This was fun to read! I do not remember how we cooked corn in Ohio when I was a kid. Now, my husband takes the husks off, wraps the corn in damp paper towels, and microwaves it. We eat it just as it is - no butter, no salt, no pepper.

Expand full comment

All (almost) of the your cooks are women? Don't we men cook corn?

My wife, Sandy, and I represent two thoughts about the butter. She butters hers, while I eat mine bare.

My odd aversion to butter on corn started when I was a kid. I hated the way my face felt after eating buttered corn, so I started eating it bare.

Never looked back.

Fr. Steve Norcross

Expand full comment

Yes, Steve -- all of my corn cooks are indeed women. I've got to work on that ...!

Expand full comment

❤️❤️❤️. I get my corn from Karen and Kim too!!! I clean it, put in a pot of boiling water, boil six minutes, then drain the water and put the lid on and let it sit till we are ready to eat it.

I tried microwaving, and I liked that the cleaning afterward is easier but I don’t think the corn is as good.

Expand full comment

Agreed!

Expand full comment

We use a steam oven. Cut off both ends, place in the oven unchecked, steam for 20 minutes. Better than any other system we ever tried.

Expand full comment

Fancy!!

Expand full comment

Uggh. UNSHUCKED. Spellcheck, dang it.

Expand full comment

The pepper trick is genius.

Not that I object to salt but it's a fine line between enough and too much.

Expand full comment