# Poll: How do you eat corn on the cob? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 6, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799 "2025-09-06T20:43:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/41 "2025-09-08T09:51:17Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I’ve always heard it called lathe-style vs typewriter-style. I like that nomenclature! I distinctly recall preferring ‘lathe style’ one summer as a young boy after an upper baby tooth fell out, despite being admonished for playing with my food by chewing patterns in the kernels…. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/42 "2025-09-09T05:20:00Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > playing with my food by chewing patterns in the kernels…. There’s a new method! ---
**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:** [September 9, 2025, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/43 "2025-09-09T13:33:55Z")
I voted with a distinct minority of vertical, one row at a time, but that’s with a caveat. I _first_ eat a horizontal row of kernels, then I go vertical one row at a time. I just feel like I have better purchase on the kernals if I have space to bite into them from above, which is why I eat the first row horizontally. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/44 "2025-09-09T13:41:17Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Horizontal, left to right, like a typewriter. What is this, _Soviet Russia_?? And go “ding!” when you reach the end. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/45 "2025-09-09T13:48:35Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Weird thing is it is so automatic that I don’t know how I do it. > > Going to have some tonight, bought at Farmers Market yesterday, cooking them per the unshucked in microwave method described here, so I’ll see tonight! The microwave in husk worked well! Needed more than 3 minutes per piece in my oven though. Realized I am vertical alternating sides with an occasional random horizontal. It was hard to not think about it and just let it happen. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/46 "2025-09-09T13:54:51Z")
I snap the cob in half and then I eat each half lathe-style. For what it’s worth, I used to eat it typewriter-style as a kid, but nowadays I find I don’t like taking big bites of things (e.g., I’d rather slice up an apple rather than take a big honkin’ bite out of it). ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/47 "2025-09-09T13:55:30Z")
“NEVER eaten”?! My God, 3% of our membership is culinarily impoverished! 😳 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/48 "2025-09-09T15:53:11Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > “NEVER eaten”?! > My God, 3% of our membership is culinarily impoverished! To my understanding sweet corn on the cob is not a ubiquitous European thing in particular, where traditionally most corn grown was feed corn for animals. I think it is spreading as a cultural phenomenon, like many food trends. But I am not surprised a few people haven’t run across it or tried it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/49 "2025-09-09T16:33:33Z")
Like a typewriter. Left to right I have an old set of corn skewers to hold the cob. It’s been several years since I had corn on the cob. I usually buy creamed corn. Green Giant Steamers is good. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/50 "2025-09-09T17:37:41Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > To my understanding sweet corn on the cob is not a ubiquitous European thing in particular, where traditionally most corn grown was feed corn for animals. If you’ve eaten good sweet corn from Pennsylvania/Ohio/etc., consider yourself lucky. The corn here (central Europe) is a poor substitute. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/51 "2025-09-09T18:00:31Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I am not surprised a few people haven’t run across it or tried it. And those people are culinarily impoverished. No doubt there are foods I am impoverished for never had experienced. But sweet corn fresh picked cooked right up is a pity to have not eaten. FWIW I am an Illinois boy. My wife is from New Jersey. I grant her that theirs is even better than ours. ---
**Author:** ![DaveUnknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@DaveUnknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveUnknown)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/52 "2025-09-09T18:38:07Z")
I do the exact same but right I’m handed. Whoa! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/53 "2025-09-09T19:52:56Z")
Us men of culture are not defined by our handedness. ---
**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:** [September 9, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/54 "2025-09-09T19:59:26Z")
What surprised me most is how fast fresh farm-picked corn cooks (and even some varieties like Mirai are pretty good uncooked.) Like 2-3 minutes in the pot (if you’re preparing it that way) and it’s done. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799/55 "2025-09-10T01:02:03Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Extra points for making a “_Ding!_ _Wzzztt!_” noise at the end of the row > [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > And go “ding!” when you reach the end. Hah! In Soviet Russia, _typewriter dings **you!!** _ Tripler Mmmmmm, proletariat corn … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-how-do-you-eat-corn-on-the-cob/1022799.md?page=2)