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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Chow In Praise of Maize

Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 3:55 PM

Corn is still in season.

Peak season lasts from May through September. Because sweet corn is grown in all 50 states, you can easily find it at your farmers’ markets or corner farm stand. In fact, 40% of the world’s corn comes from the U.S. and half of that goes to feeding livestock. Canada, China and Brazil are also big corn growers.

Corn, wonderful corn...

Corn grows in a rainbow of colors — from yellow to purple to white to brown and some multicolored. The two most popular types are white and yellow. The different varieties all have fun names, too! “Silver Queen” is a sweet corn with white kernels and a creamy texture. “Tuxedo” is another variety of sweet corn that is yellow with 8-inch ears. “Temptation” is one of the most popular varieties of sweet corn and is typically eaten on the cob and has narrow 7-inch ears with bi-color kernels.

An ear of temptation! By the way, my surname, Mudede, means "corn that is not yet ripe."

Comments (23) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

In praise of maize, indeed...

Charles, stop being coy and just write about Natalie Merchant already. You'll feel better.

Posted by Ackham on August 11, 2009 at 3:56 PM

So does "Charles" mean "full of"?

Posted by g on August 11, 2009 at 3:57 PM

Clearly, you must not chuck the mudede. let it grow!

Posted by guy on August 11, 2009 at 3:59 PM

Okay, is the "corn" in your name a generic reference to grain, like the Corn Laws of England that were passed before Europeans became aware of maize in the Americas, or is it referring to maize, and the result of a post-Columbian neologism?

Posted by Gitai on August 11, 2009 at 4:02 PM

Thanks for two Natalie photos in one day!

Posted by stinkbug on August 11, 2009 at 4:10 PM

Thanks for nothing.

Posted by Fnarf

on August 11, 2009 at 4:13 PM

Corn is in 90-95% of the average American's diet, and that's not a good thing. The body generally passes corn without really digesting it.

Posted by Gomez

on August 11, 2009 at 4:17 PM

Let us not forget "ear of rose-corn, milky and just ripened..."

Posted by rob!

on August 11, 2009 at 4:19 PM

Now, Mark Wahlberg in a cornfield. Is this some sort of Boogie Nights reference?

Posted by smade on August 11, 2009 at 4:32 PM

Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma has some fascinating information about corn (of the maize variety) vis-à-vis our society (and how amazingly dependant on it we've become). And also discusses, as Gitai @4 points out, that 'corn' originally meant any kernel of any grain (wheat, barley, rye... mmm, whiskey...oh, whoops!), but that King Corn usurped the word for itself because it's been manipulating us for generations!
He does actually claim (in part) that Maize has been manipulating humans for it's own ends, but, you know, I think it's a little more of a you-scratch-my-tassel, I-scratch-yours arrangement.
Mmmm, salsa...

Posted by treacle on August 11, 2009 at 4:33 PM

And why are we feeding (human-edible) corn to ruminants? This is part of what makes commercial agriculture so terrible.

Posted by Greg on August 11, 2009 at 4:36 PM

Charles Un-ripe Corn.

Posted by yucca flower on August 11, 2009 at 4:45 PM

Indians would eat the "triad" -- corns, beans and squash -- this will give them their amino acids.

That's what they told me in 3rd grade.

Posted by Sister Mary Frances on August 11, 2009 at 5:27 PM

If we didn't subsidize corn for food, sugar, and fuel, the world - and America - would be a far far better place.

Mind you, I love corn.

Posted by Will in Seattle

on August 11, 2009 at 5:28 PM

Why the Natalie Merchant phase, what does it mean?

Posted by Carollani

on August 11, 2009 at 5:39 PM

i can't really see her tits in that photo.

Posted by Max Solomon on August 11, 2009 at 5:59 PM

Harvest sweet corn when the ears are full and blunt at the tip. The husks should be tightly folded and green. Using your thumb nail, poke an end kernel. It should squirt forth milky white sap. Underripe corn will contain a watery liquid; overripe corn will have a tough skinned kernel with doughy interior.

Posted by FeralTurnip on August 11, 2009 at 6:27 PM

This is the corniest Slog post I've ever read.

Posted by Space Funk Guru on August 11, 2009 at 6:58 PM

What's with the Natalie photos? Feel like I'm in 1992.

Posted by Confluence on August 11, 2009 at 7:16 PM

Corn is a big part of what makes beef so very bad for you... Grass fed beef has a fat and calorie content that is barely higher than boneless skinless chicken breast. So buy a freezer or get a couple friends to go in with you, order a 1/4 or 1/2 a cow from your friendly local farmer, and eat nothing but yummy organic grass fed beef for the rest of the year (cuz its chepaer that way).

Posted by Queen of Sleaze on August 11, 2009 at 9:14 PM

Time to face facts, Charles: you're ripe by now.

Posted by TIm Appelo on August 11, 2009 at 9:14 PM

@11 The corn we feed to cows and such isn't directly human edible. You can grind it into corn mill, for making cakes, cornbreads, tortillas, etc, but you're not going to enjoy just eating it as straight-up corn. Sweet corn is a very different variety.

Posted by ToddO on August 11, 2009 at 9:49 PM