Last Friday, this was my station for about an hour and a half. It was the evening of the annual FFA Food Fest and my job was corn on the cob cooker.
I boiled three cases of wonderful fresh south Florida sweet corn in the husk using my "bigger than y'alls" pot.
It's bigger, admit it.
The corn was spectacular, but what really blew the minds of the local corn munching populace (mostly farmers with a real appreciation of good corn) was a technique I stole from watching my Uncle Richard serve corn at family reunions back in St. Augustine.
(Aunt Shelba, tell him thanks for me!)
While the corn is boiling, a large can of warm water is placed nearby with a stick or two of butter melted in it. The butter floats at the surface of course. Each person peels back their corn husk and dips their ear of corn into the can. As they withdraw it the butter coats the ear perfectly.
It's very efficient.
Apparently, no one in our huge county had ever heard of such a thing and they were all amazed at my cleverness.
Of course, I told them I had invented the idea ... so now I'm considered a bit of a corn genius around these parts.
A week later, people keep coming up to me and telling me how good that corn was and "... wasn't that a clever way of buttering it."
I guess you could say they lichen me, they really, really lichen me.
22 comments:
Cool! Bet this will work on fresh Kansas corn in July!
Isn't it early in the season for corn? It's not showing up in the stands around here just yet.
But! Thanks for the corny butter tip! ;)
I like to add butter to boiling water during the last minute or two. But I'd much rather have some fresh grown sweet corn from the farm instead of Publix's version.
And I couldn't help thinking, lichens are to trees as butter is to corn...
(I know, I know.....)
Really, you should considering starting a catering business if you even get tired of teaching. So tell us - what else was at this cookout? Us northerners are still living vicariously.
Heh. We lichen you too. Please don't get eaten by a gator, no matter how cool a blog post you imagine that would be. ;)
This post gives me nostalgia for summer. Corn up here is a July through September affair. It's odd to think of it as coinciding with things like blue-eyed grass coming into bloom. Ah, phenology. Love the corn buttering idea, and thanks for channeling your inner Sally Field for us.
Where did you find decent corn? Anyhay, this post was both corny and punderous.
I admit it.
Your pot is bigger.
Great how you worked your lichen photo into a post about buttered corn. Very clever, indeed.
I'm lichen you too. I got to try that next time we get fresh corn (let's see: August?).
You and your CORNy puns.
And I admit, your pot is bigger than mine.
good grief...
but that was some A mazing corn!
Ah yes, aMAIZEing. Pretty nifty butter trick there. And I lichen your lichen pic. I was probably shooting some on my live oak about the same time you were shooting yours. 8-]
Linda,
I'm sure it will. Hope it's worth the wait.
Laura,
It's glades corn,but I'm not sure exactly where in the glades. Our friends who own a produce stand in C-land went down and got it for us.
I never made the lichen tree butter corn connection before.
:)
Wren,
Let's see, buffalo wings, fried venison, smoked sausage, BBQ chicken, fried fish, hushpuppies, macaroni & cheese,swamp cabbage, clam chowder, gumbo, beans, grits, a big ol desert table and a bunch of beautiful cake auction cakes.
They had a real auctioneer to auction off those amazing cakes.
I wanted Miss Ramona's Red Velvet Cake, but it went for $200.
Rurality,
I work hard to keep myself off the menu.
:)
Doug,
That is one short corn season. I could plant corn now with only a little risk of it getting frozen. Glad you liked the butter tip.
Dogwoods are blooming today.
Troll,
Produce stand connection, but somewhere in the glades.
3C,
It was a wedding present from friends when we lived on Tybee Island, GA. They wanted us to fill it with low country boil and invite them over!
Robin,
I was desperate. I didn't have a clue what to post about when I sat down at 5:55 this morning.
Hoss,
It's not fair y'all have to wait so long.
HT,
It's ginormous!
Mel,
heehee.
The farmer's did the hard part, I just boiled it.
Sophie,
Serendipity!
Well, we both lichen to photograph nature.
that pot -- yes, it is a very big one -- does not look like it has been through very many seasons yet...
i see a small but diligent crowd in the background, near something else attached to propane -- is that the fry area? do they take the term "bubba" as a compliment, or an insult? inquiring minds want to know.
sounds like wonderful corn, and a great time.
Kathy A,
Very observant. 22 years old and only used a few times due to it's enormous capacity.
Yes, that is where the venison and elk was fried. A small crowd of "testers" hung out there.
I use "Bubba" in a derogatory way when on my soapbox complaining about some stupid redneck activity like rustling palm trees or poaching.
I use it affectionately when describing good qualities of those same folks, and I use it as a combination of the two prior uses when I poke fun at my own backwoodsian mannerisms.
I think it's like the term "Cracker"... my Dad always said to smile when you call him that.
I will remember that corn buttering trick when I have my house warming party here! And yeah, your dumb ol' pot is bigger.
Wow, rural folk look the same everywhere, with their plaid flannel shirts and such. :) This could have been Lake Wobegon, except for the sand.
And, I'll have to remember that corn buttering trick when it's time here. In early August.
Edifice,
I knew it! My pot wins!
It's almost too big. I used a little camp stove to gently keep the can of water warm.
Deb,
I've noticed that too.
August for corn. Whew!
Perhaps that makes it's wonderful taste all the more special.
OK. Am I going to be the only one to suggest that the juxtaposition of those puddlely-looking pictures beneath a rhapsodic account of gorging on food . . . .
Oh, never mind.
That butter trick is the slickest corn buttering technique I've ever encountered. Thanks.
what a trick for buttering corn. i may have to try that one this summer. the way we do it is delicious but makes a huge mess!
Yes, your pot is fabulous. :) And my mouth is watering for some sweet corn!
Cathy,
Variety is the spice and all that.
The buttering technique is pretty darn cool.
Paint,
It works like a charm. One dip and you're good to munch.
Sharon,
Just be glad we don't have to wait till August like our northern pals.
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