# How do YOU eat corn-on-the-cob? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082 "2009-09-06T20:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/21 "2009-09-06T23:10:47Z")
A little butter and salt. I eat it “typewriter” style, but with a twist. I’ll take one ‘normal’ bite to get things going. Then I work across, one row of kernels at a time, using my lower teeth to pull them out of the cob. When I’m done I end up with a perfectly clean cob (no skins left) except on the very ends and the spot where I took my first bite. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/22 "2009-09-07T00:14:20Z")
Typewriter. A little butter (though I don’t need it). No salt. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/23 "2009-09-07T00:15:10Z")
I salt the water generously, add a bit of sugar, bring to a boil just till the corn is bright yellow. Butter the whole thing and typewriter, punctuated with occasional ‘mmmmmm’s’. ---
**Author:** ![TheScogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@TheScogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheScogg)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/24 "2009-09-07T00:26:44Z")
I stick my fork underneath a column of kernels and pull outward to pry them off the cob. Using this method, I’m able remove all of kernels in about 10 seconds. I don’t have to worry about spraying myself in the eye or getting pieces stuck between my teeth. If I don’t have a fork, though, I’ll use the typewriter style. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it eaten any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/25 "2009-09-07T00:56:21Z")
Butter all over (salted butter, but no extra salt), then typewriter or similar. Typewriter removes the kernels as nearly whole as possible - random bite method tears them and ends up with lots of bits uncomfortably jammed between the teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/26 "2009-09-07T00:58:48Z")
Grilled–I love the slight burnt edges on some of the corn. light butter and salt then slice it off the cob with a knife and eat with a fork ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/27 "2009-09-07T01:13:23Z")
Typewriter-style, one row at a time. I pull the kernels out with my lower teeth and leave a perfectly clean cob. My in-laws find this hilariously bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/28 "2009-09-07T01:20:25Z")
Typewriter. Butter and salt. (I usually spread the butter on the whole ear, then pour salt on my plate, and roll the cob in it). Using cornholders. Deeeee-lish! (In fact, we had corn-on-the-cob for dinner. Mmmmm…) ---
**Author:** ![horsetech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@horsetech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horsetech)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/29 "2009-09-07T02:13:42Z")
Like a crazed chipmunk. Up, down, left, right, flip to other side . . . maybe QtM, silenus, and my dad have it right: just hack it all off and get it over with. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/30 "2009-09-07T02:27:44Z")
typewriter. Just had some tonight. I was cooking some Belgian endives in butter and decided to try pan frying the corn afterwards. Dang, I just rolled the corn back and forth in the pan. Worked pretty good. Even salt and peppered it in the pan. BTW, a little rasberry vinegar wine while stir-frying endives…mmmm like candy. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/31 "2009-09-07T03:17:37Z")
t > [@Jettboy](#): > > Dripping with butter, salt and extra pepper, typewriter-style. Yeaaaaah. I was wondering where all the pepper people were. I am an Iowan, and don’t know anyone here who _doesn’t_ eat it typewriter fashion. It’s just practical, like plowing a field. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/32 "2009-09-07T03:19:13Z")
No butter, salt only, typewriter-style. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/33 "2009-09-07T03:41:19Z")
Butter, salt, pepper, typewriter. The more interesting question – _how_ do you apply the butter? In my family, we dedicate a stick of butter to corn for the month or so that it’s in season, so we can do a couple of typewriter-twirls of the cob at the top of the middle of the stick. When the u-shaped trough that is created reaches the plate, you push the two ends of the stick together. Very fast, very efficient – and the combined horror and admiration of those not familiar with this technique is always fun to witness. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/34 "2009-09-07T04:45:48Z")
Ooooh, I would love to butter it that way! More often than not my family would use tub margarine and a knife…I now use softened butter, and a butter knife, and run a schmear of butter down the length of corn I’m currently working on, then salt. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/35 "2009-09-07T04:51:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > In fact, I’ve started experimenting with a pineapple slicer. The “corer” part is just big enough to pass around a cob. One press, and gustatory delight. Don’t forget to run the back of a knife down each row - ‘milk’ the juices and tiny bits of kernel off onto your plate. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/36 "2009-09-07T05:18:45Z")
Spiral eater here. I wind up with a pretty clean cob, though not perfectly so. We always laugh at Mom–when she finishes eating corn-on-the-cob, it ALWAYS ends up with a box shape–actually somewhat like the shape of a stick of butter. She eats typewriter style, but apparently rotates it in such a way that she leaves some partially chewed kernels on the cob that create the four corner edges running the length of the cob. She doesn’t do it on purpose and can’t really explain it. Favorite cooking method is brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, wrapped in foil, and cooked on the grill. ---
**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/37 "2009-09-07T05:37:06Z")
Spiral. Used to do typewriter, not sure why or when I changed. Butter (REAL butter). We brush it on … or roll it in the dedicated butter dish. SALT!!! Yum. Favourite kinds? Peaches & cream is my fave, with Jubilee a close second. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/38 "2009-09-07T11:31:42Z")
1. Steamed with a little salt. 2. Typewriter/random/cleanup/ 3. Floss My brother slathers mayonnaise on his for butter. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/39 "2009-09-07T11:34:43Z")
… sometimes after that random-style, I’ll find corn kernels in the oddest places. One day I looked in the mirror and found some in my eyebrows. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082/40 "2009-09-07T12:01:15Z")
> [@Silvorange](#): > > Typewriter-style, one row at a time. I pull the kernels out with my lower teeth and leave a perfectly clean cob. My in-laws find this hilariously bizarre. I use my top teeth. Other than that, and the fact that my in-laws are unaware and my blood relations find it soooo amusing our experiences appear simlar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/509082.md?page=3)