Apparently it’s genetic.
The way you eat your corn on the cob.
That’s the consensus of several psychologists who study eating behaviors and who’ve determined that there are three primary eating styles:
The typewriter, The rotary and The hunt-and-peck method.
Here are just a few kernels of their wisdom (snort, see what I did there?):
“Typewriter-style eaters probably live orderly, methodical lives and may be more prone to obsessive-compulsive disorders.
The rotary method, psychologists say, is likely favored by creative, artistic, right-brainer folks.
The hunt-and-peck method (eating’s equivalent to chaos theory) is a series of random, irrational bites. Children and other impulsive folks chow corn this way. (Don’t sit next to these people.)”
I will confess, I am a rotary eater, but am downright compulsive about not leaving any kernels behind. My husband on the other hand, a person could make a meal on what’s left on his cobs. And his chicken wings. But I digress.
Even more debatable than how you eat your corn is how you cook it.
The aficionados love to grill it, hulls on or hulls off.
Here’s a view / recipe for hulls on and why.
And here’s how to grill it without the hull.
Bobby Flay always goes HUSKS ON and loves him some special corn butters, like BBQ butter, Piquillo Pepper Butter & Grated Manchego, Maple & Chipotle, etc. etc.
The in-a-hurry, feed-these-kids-before-they-starve love the MICROWAVE method. Check it:
Place a whole, unshucked ear of corn in the microwave. Microwave it for three minutes. It is now perfectly cooked.
The au-naturals eat it fresh, not even cooked. It’s delish!! (click pics for recipe links)
The party people love a corn salad, cuz it just looks great on the table.
One thing for sure, you can make something pretty special for your J4 dinner with just a little bit of effort. Just remember, the minute the corn is picked it’s heading for starchiness. Your best bet for tasty corn no matter how you prepare it is to buy it as local and fresh as possible—preferably from a farmers’ market or farm stand—and to cook it as soon as you get it home.
Happy July 4th Weekend my friends. If you have a fave way to prepare summer corn on or off the cob, please share in the comments below!
