# How do you eat corn on the cob? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598 "2013-05-17T13:04:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/1 "2013-05-17T13:04:24Z")
Poll to come. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/2 "2013-05-17T13:08:56Z")
Gobble,gobble,gobble,ping! \<-------rripp------------- Gobble,gobble,gobble,ping! \<-------rripp------------- Gobble,gobble,gobble,ping! ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/3 "2013-05-17T13:13:36Z")
I’m a typewriter. I have a sister and a grandson who are both lathes. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/4 "2013-05-17T13:14:25Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Gobble,gobble,gobble,ping! > \<-------rripp------------- crlf ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/5 "2013-05-17T13:20:10Z")
… counting the days till the Amish produce stands have fresh sweet corn… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/6 "2013-05-17T13:54:26Z")
Typewriter. I even “ping” when I come to the end. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/7 "2013-05-17T14:06:16Z")
Roasted over an open flame and then flavored with mustard seed oil, salt, chili powder, and fresh lime. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/8 "2013-05-17T14:07:31Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Roasted over an open flame and then flavored with mustard seed oil, salt, chili powder, and fresh lime. Shucked before roasting? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/9 "2013-05-17T14:21:57Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Typewriter. I even “ping” when I come to the end. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/10 "2013-05-17T14:45:48Z")
I answered “lathe,” but I do both. I think I usually do a row across like a typewriter, then continue as a lathe after laying down that first groove. ETA: Actually, now that I think about it, I think I usually only go halfway across to start. Then when I finish the first half, I lay down another line across and lathe. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/11 "2013-05-17T15:02:55Z")
1234567890 qwertyuiop asdfghjkl zxcvbnm How do I butter corn on the cob? butter a piece of white bread and roll the corn cob on the bread. Yummy… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/12 "2013-05-17T15:04:57Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I answered “lathe,” but I do both. I think I usually do a row across like a typewriter, then continue as a lathe after laying down that first groove. ETA: Actually, now that I think about it, I think I usually only go halfway across to start. Then when I finish the first half, I lay down another line across and lathe. I’ve done the mixed mode like that. The size and shape of the ear can make a difference. If it’s very conic where the kernels rapidly dwindle in size down to the small end, I’m more likely to lathe the fat end first. And sometimes while typewritering I just get to a spot where I want to switch to lathe for no reason I can recall. I’ve seen someone do it in a helix, lathing and typewritering simultaneously. And in the writing of that, I realize I always eat left to right. Is everyone doing that? Where written languages go right to left is that how they eat their corn? Do left handers eat right to left? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/13 "2013-05-17T15:14:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > And in the writing of that, I realize I always eat left to right. Is everyone doing that? Where written languages go right to left is that how they eat their corn? Do left handers eat right to left? I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed. But last night I ate it right to left. I’m right-handed and only speak English. I also wondered how I prefer to orient it. Small side on the right or left? I think however it’s put in front of me is how I accept it. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/14 "2013-05-17T15:50:34Z")
Typewriter for me. I always put the small end to the right, and I eat it from right to left. I’m a right-hander. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/15 "2013-05-17T16:07:53Z")
I’m a Smith-Corona; or possibly an IBM Selectric III. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/16 "2013-05-17T16:12:19Z")
Both. First a line across like a typewriter, then circles like a lathe. The initial pass gives me a starting point for my upper teeth, so they grab more corn each pass thereafter. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/17 "2013-05-17T16:23:40Z")
Lots and lots of pepper, little if any salt. BTW, in Europe I was surprised to find corn on the cob - in cans! Yep - a large can with four little cobs stuffed in there. You yanked them out and heated them up. (Sort of the same size and shape as those small ones you can buy in the frozen food section here in the US.) ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/18 "2013-05-17T16:30:26Z")
> [@nonacetone](#): > > Typewriter for me. > I always put the small end to the right, and I eat it from right to left. I’m a right-hander. Yup, yup, and yup. And yup. My wife is a lathe, and my kids take the scattershot approach. Philistines. And we use a [Buttergirl](http://magicallydelicious.com/featured/butter-girl/). ETA: I misread that- I eat from left to right. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/19 "2013-05-17T17:20:42Z")
Like a lathe. I often can’t finish the whole cob, so I eat the best part first. The best part is toward the narrow end, where the kernels are small, tender and sweet. Then if any of the cob goes to waste, it’ll be the tougher, starchy kernels at the broad end. ---
**Author:** ![Renton\_lvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Renton\_lvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renton_lvr)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598/20 "2013-05-17T17:23:30Z")
[Like this!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4PTIq91P6ohttp://) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/658598.md?page=2)