Corn was originally grown by the American Indians in the Western Hemisphere. The Bible refers to corn, but it is talking about the heads of wheat, barley, spelt, or millet grown in the Middle East. The corn we know today is the result of selectively cross breeding the Indian's original seeds.
If you want to plant a garden, click here to explore some of the more popular seeds available. If you just want to cook it for the sheer pleasure of summertime taste, your choices will be more limited. In the old days when I was a child, there was field corn and sweet corn. Field corn was raised to feed the cows and horses and chickens. It was also ground for meal. If you picked it while it was still green and the kernels were plump with juice, it was excellent to eat. In that stage it was referred to as "roasting ears."
Sweet corn is so designated because it was selectively bred to contain more sugar and taste even better than roasting ears. It will get too tough and hard to eat fresh if you don't pick it at the right time. Just a note to gardeners: Raccoons will strip your crop the very day it is at its peak, and don't think they don't know where you live. There are several varieties to choose from, but if it is canned or frozen in the grocery store, you may not know the difference.
There is one characteristic of sweet corn that you will be able to see. Sweet corn comes in white and yellow varieties. If you are interested in the difference, check a nutrition chart. The last time I checked, yellow corn had an advantage in some vitamins and minerals. I usually favored white corn for taste, but not always. Try them for yourself. Meal made from yellow meal is traditional for cornbread, but sometime you might like to try the white. It is finer and smoother in texture.
You may find the small corn like Shoe Peg to your liking. It is available canned. I don't remember seeing it frozen. If you find it at a produce, stand, try it. My husband called it Pencil Cob. I don't know if that was a variety or he made it up, but it was excellent. The ears are small maybe six inches long and the kernels are very crisp and sweet.
Baby corn is available canned for use in stir fry or hors d'oeuvres. Look for them near the pickles and olives.
If you want to plant a garden, click here to explore some of the more popular seeds available. If you just want to cook it for the sheer pleasure of summertime taste, your choices will be more limited. In the old days when I was a child, there was field corn and sweet corn. Field corn was raised to feed the cows and horses and chickens. It was also ground for meal. If you picked it while it was still green and the kernels were plump with juice, it was excellent to eat. In that stage it was referred to as "roasting ears."
Sweet corn is so designated because it was selectively bred to contain more sugar and taste even better than roasting ears. It will get too tough and hard to eat fresh if you don't pick it at the right time. Just a note to gardeners: Raccoons will strip your crop the very day it is at its peak, and don't think they don't know where you live. There are several varieties to choose from, but if it is canned or frozen in the grocery store, you may not know the difference.
There is one characteristic of sweet corn that you will be able to see. Sweet corn comes in white and yellow varieties. If you are interested in the difference, check a nutrition chart. The last time I checked, yellow corn had an advantage in some vitamins and minerals. I usually favored white corn for taste, but not always. Try them for yourself. Meal made from yellow meal is traditional for cornbread, but sometime you might like to try the white. It is finer and smoother in texture.
You may find the small corn like Shoe Peg to your liking. It is available canned. I don't remember seeing it frozen. If you find it at a produce, stand, try it. My husband called it Pencil Cob. I don't know if that was a variety or he made it up, but it was excellent. The ears are small maybe six inches long and the kernels are very crisp and sweet.
Baby corn is available canned for use in stir fry or hors d'oeuvres. Look for them near the pickles and olives.
