Late summer corn is nearing its peak in the Ozarks. Meals of corn picked and shucked minutes before eating it will become summer’s memories. Whether grown in your own garden or picked up at the farmer’s market, fresh corn is one of the best things about summer.
Corn, Zea mays, is one of the oldest domesticated plants in the world. It was first grown in domestication in Mesopotamia about 10,000 years ago. Corn, also known as maize, has been a staple in many indigenous diets, especially in North America where Native Americans and other cultures such as the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans. Christopher Columbus received corn from Native Americans, and he took it back to Europe.
Every continent except Antarctica grows corn today, and it’s the third-largest food crop in the world. The United States produces the most corn of any country in the world.
Many years ago sweet corn would be harvested and immediately cooked; the corn would begin to lose its sweetness as soon as it was harvested. Within a couple of days, the sweet corn would be so starchy it wouldn’t be palatable.
American breeders began hybridizing corn in the 1800s to create a corn that would stay sweet long after it was picked. Today there are three types of improved sweet corn. “Normal sugary” is mildly sweet. “Sugar-enhanced” has twice the sugar content of normal surgary corn. “Super-sweet” has three times the sugar content as the normal sugary variety. In the United States, typical sweet corn is the supersweet variety.
Contrary to the beliefs of many, the sweetness of corn has nothing to do with the corn’s color. Supersweet varieties are grown in yellow, white and bi-color corn. The color of corn simply comes from the amount of carotene the corn variety has.
One disadvantage to supersweet varieties of corn is the higher the sugar content, the fewer the polysaccharides, which means the corn kernels are crunchier and less creamy than “old fashioned” corn.
Ripe corn in the garden is indicated by the browning of the corn silk, which usually occurs about three weeks after the first silk appears. The warmer the weather, the sooner corn can be picked.
Look for local corn in the farmer’s market or in the supermarket; corn is always better when the time between farm and table is the shortest. Corn ears should be heavy, husks should be fresh, green and taut, and silks should be dry.
If corn is not eaten as soon as it’s picked or purchased, it should be kept in the husk in a plastic bag or in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com.