Corn Report

As you know, I grew up in Northern Illinois. For people not familiar with Illinois, I say my hometown is "outside Chicago." Close enough for most. For those who know Illinois geography, I'm more specific: Rockford. To the amusement of my brother, Rockford's motto is "A Different Kind of Greatness*." Makes you feel like you're living in a top-notch town, eh? But, I digress....

You didn't have to drive too far out of town to be surrounded by soybean and corn fields. I'm not sure how it started, but after Jamie and I moved away, my parents would give us the "corn report" throughout the summer. It included language to describe the corn analogous to a wine tasting. It became somewhat of a family joke to wait for that corn report!

This weekend, we cooked up our first Florida corn of the season. Shelby hasn't eaten corn on the cob yet, but I had a feeling she would love eating right off the cob. So, I bought an ear just for her. We asked if she wanted some corn and she sneered at it. We insisted she try some of Daddy's. After one bite, her eyes got wide, she declared it good and wanted her own ear. Just as we thought!

Scott has gotten really good at grilling corn on the cob on his grill. The first few attempts yielded mealy corn. Scott researched the issue and found the secret: soak the corn beforehand. And, man oh man, that made all the difference!


Corn on the Cob

1 ears of corn per person - still in the husk
Butter
Salt
Kitchen twine

1. Peel husks back from ear of corn, but keep them attached!
2. Soak ears of corn in large pot of water for 30 - 60 minutes.
3. Dry off corn, spread butter on ears and season with salt.
4. Wrap corn back up in the husk. Secure with twine.
5. Cook on grill over indirect heat until husks are charred - about 12 minutes.



* I have the same amusement with Winn Dixie's motto: "Getting Better all the time." In my head I hear: "We know we suck, but we're working on it, ok?" And, then there's Publix's motto: "We will never knowingly disappoint you." To me it's "We just aren't smart enough to tell if we've offended you in any way." Mottos shouldn't be self-deprecating. I'm just saying.......