And these atheists say there is no heaven.
WhyNot has it right. As a child, I’d visit my mother’s cousins in Maryland corn country. That’s how they’d do it.
There is nothing in the world better than lightly boiled FRESH white corn with butter and salt.
If you are going to cook the corn in water, adding salt to the water will tend to make the corn tough; leave it out.
Generally, for cooking supermarket corn in water: cover the corn with cold water, bring to boil, boil for two minutes; shut off the heat and let the corn sit for ten minutes. Drain well, then butter, salt, etc.
Consider me chastised! I swear I wil never cook it that long again. (It was the way my mama taught me!)
Rub the ear with butter and sprinkle with dried sweet basil. Then wrap in foil and bake.
The corn always seems to have less flavor when I do that. That’s why I prefer to wait until the water is boiling before I put it in.
This is only my personal observation.
Yeah they also put chili on it. In Colombia guys on the street sell you green mango (unripened) with chili and lime. Then they feed the mango peels to the mules that haul junk.
If the corn is good, you can eat it plain, too.
[bit of a hijack]
How do you recognize good corn at the grocery store? Kernel size? Color? Firmness? Does tasting it help? … Thanks
[/hijack]
A good ear of corn is filled out almost all the way to the tip with kernels. The kernels should feel plump and firm, but not hard. The silk should still be fresh and not dry near where it enters the husk. It should smell fresh and green and sweet. You can try peeling back a bit of the husk to get a look at the kernels, but what color they should be depends on the type; they range from off-white to golden yellow. Tasting it strikes me as a bit gauche, like eating out of the open bins of nuts. I wouldn’t want to consume any pesticides sprayed on it, either.
Just a few more weeks 'til the sweet corn’s ready. A pox on all raccoons who savage the field. Mmm, peaches’n’cream . . .
:smack: Chili! That’s the mystery ingredient! Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Revises notes: [del]Cayenne[/del] Chili.
Okay, someone started a thread about artichokes wherein they mentioned they were trying the “Nero Wolfe” method, and I for one want to know how it turned out.
I think 40 minutes would burn it.
By the way, anybody know how many drops of a water-like substance there are in a teaspoon?
US teaspoon or UK teaspoon?
US: 96
UK: 69
I’m surprised all the people touting the joys of fresh picked corn have failed to mention the best part of self picking. Eating the first one raw on the way back to the kitchen. As a kid on my grandparents farm, I got to do this a couple times a year, and it’s marvelous. Also raw sweet peas as you’re shelling a bunch. Yumm
Did a taste-test last night, and I’m sorry to report Mr. Nero Woolfe is wrong.
I had two ears of corn. One was over-roasted in the husk for 40 minutes at 500[sup]o[/sup], the other was soaked in the husk in cold water for 10 minutes tossed on a very hot (550[sup]o[/sup]) plus) grill for 10 minutes as closely to the fire as I could manage.
A taste test showed that the grilled ear of corn was sweeter and…juicier(?) than the oven-roasted one was just barely overcooked, and was starting to get leathery–40 minutes is way too long. Maybe, maybe 20-25 minutes, tops.
Either method, though was better than boiling, although the oven method would be better if cooked shorter.
I just fixed some KILLEr corn yesterday ; I got the grill fired up good and hot , peeled the husks back and removed the silk , then smeared it with butter , nd sprinkled a little salt on . Pepper would work if you like it , which I don’t . I pulled the husk back up and tossed it on the grill . I also grilled cabbage wedges for the first time at the reccomendation of a friend ,and they were yummy , too . I made a little ‘boat’ out of foil , put the wedges in , put some minced garlic over them , salt & butter , and sat the foil over the coals & let it cook for about 45 min . Delish !! Any other grilled veggie ideas ?
Grilled zucchini or yellow summer squash is good. Brush with olive oil, season with garlic powder, salt, pepper or any seasoned salt you like. Grill quickly directly on the grill over a hot fire until tender and partially carmelized. Good stuff!
psst! ixnay on the eatingay awray! If you spill all our secrets, the townies will want to pick the corn while *we *sit by the boiling pot of water! 
I’m sure you know about red bell peppers, right? Set 'em right above the flames (licking flames are ok) until black and “ruined” looking. Then wrap 'em in plastic wrap - they peel themselves!)
Wow. That seems way too many to me.
[Off to find an eyedropper and teaspoon.]
No hands-on research, but I found 2 sources that say 1 US tsp = 60 drops.