Recently driving north on U.S. 27, just south of South Bay, I passed a pick-up truck towing a trailer piled high with sweet Florida corn. Seeing all that corn reminded me we are just about in the middle of corn season. Don’t laugh at me, but I was tempted to slow down and follow the truck, hoping the driver would soon stop and sell me a dozen ears. Biting into a crisply cooked ear of corn is the simplest way to enjoy this incredibly sweet and nutritious vegetable.
Contrary to what many people think, sweet corn is not “bad for you.” Corn is neither fattening nor full of sugar. A medium-size ear of corn (about 3/4 cup of kernels) contains about the same number of calories as an apple and less sugar. It’s the slathered butter and the heavy dose of salt that takes this perfectly nutritious vegetable and makes it “bad for you.” An ear of corn contains high amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote healthy vision. Add 3 grams of fiber and the fact corn is a whole grain, and that puts corn at the top of the list of foods that are good for you.
Corn Bits
- Yellow, white or bi-color kernels — which is the sweetest? Doesn’t matter at all. It depends on the soil, sun and rain.
- Store corn in the refrigerator with the husks on. Wrap ears in plastic wrap or store in a sealed plastic bag. Plan to eat corn within two days.
- Two easy ways to remove corn kernels from the cob after removing the husks:
- Stand the larger end in a Bundt pan and slice down along the cob. Kernels will fall into the bottom of the pan.
- A lot of methods stand the corn tall on a cutting board to remove the kernels from the cob. Instead, lay an ear of shucked corn flat on a cutting board and cut down the side of the cob to remove the kernels. Then rotate the cob so the flat (cut) end is on the bottom against the board. Continue cutting and rotating the corn until all the kernels are removed.
How to choose an ear of corn without peeking
Avoid ears with tiny brown holes in the husk. Those are wormholes.
Feel the kernels through the husk for plump and plentiful with no holes where kernels should be.
Look for tassels (the hair-like fibers sticking out of the top) that are brown and sticky to the touch, not dry or black.
The husk color should be bright green and tightly wrapped around the ear and in some cases the husk may even feel damp.
SOURCE: food52.com