A history of corn:One of the ‘sisters of life’

Corn is truly an a-maize-ing grain. It is self-pollinating, remarkably responsive to hybridization, adaptable to a wide range of environments, outstrips the yields of other food plants and accommodates to planting with complementary crops.

Corn kernels can be processed in dozens of ways to produce an astounding variety of products ? cereals, flour, meal, starches, sweeteners and oils ? and is capable of conversion into a multitude of derivative products, from bourbon to adhesives to automotive fuel.

Scientists believe that corn was first grown on the Mexican plateau or the highlands of Guatemala. Kernels dating back to 6,600 BCE have been found in caves in Mexico, but fossil grains were discovered in lake sediment in Mexico City that could be 80,000 years old.

Corn, beans and squash were planted together and known as the “three sisters of life.” The first corn growers planted beans next to the corn using the corn stalks to support the bean vines without knowing that the beans added nitrogen to the soil helping to fertilize the corn.

The third component in this felicitous arrangement is squash, which provided a leafy groundcover to retain moisture. Eaten together, they provide the 20 amino acids necessary for complete protein.

Sweet corn was first discovered by settlers in 1779 in an Iroquois village along the Susquehanna River in central New York but did not catch on as food until the 1840s.

Ever since the Pilgrims pilfered a cache of Indian corn, Americans have hankered after this New World vegetable. European explorers looked down on it and thought it was “more fit for swine than men.”

To this day, fresh sweet corn on the cob is a distinctly American delicacy, although recently, with the introduction of Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in Europe, they have begun to discover what Americans on both continents have known and enjoyed for thousands of years.

Of course, we all know that the very best way to savor this earthly delight is to pluck the ears from your backyard garden after setting the water to boil, shuck them as fast as you can and dunk them in the pot for two minutes.

Forget salt, forget butter, just eat ‘em and weep (with pleasure)! Since this is an unlikely scenario for most of us, the next best thing is to buy your corn at a farmer’s market.

At our Laguna market, the friendly face of Fidel Corona greets you at the Corona vegetable stand, where you can get organic white sweet corn that he grows on his own two acres in Perris.

Although the corn is not Certified Organic, it is grown in a virgin field that has never been treated with pesticides, making it de-facto organic. He and his family have a home in the center of this acreage with peach trees bordering the field on all sides. Five of his six children work in the field. His son, Felipe, also accompanies him to the farmer’s markets.

They sell their produce at a different one every day except Sunday. Some of the other excellent items that he grows are tomatoes, basil, onions, cilantro, peppers, squash and, of course, peaches.

Everything he sells is always extremely fresh and flavorful ? and always sold with an extra pound of warmth and geniality. When we asked one of his customers why she chose this particular vendor, she replied, “He’s so sweet, and it’s all organic.”

Now ear this! When shopping for corn, look for ears with moist grassy green, tightly wrapped husks with just a bit of dry brown tassel peaking from the tips. Peel a bit of the husk back and look for decay or worms, and make certain that the kernels are plump and evenly spaced. Pierce one kernel with a fingernail. If it squirts a milky juice, the corn is fresh. (Just don’t let the vendor see you do this.)

Try not to store the corn for more than two days. Put them unhusked in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. After you husk them, the corn will convert its natural sugar to starch very quickly.

The two primary ways to cook corn are boiling and roasting. If boiling, shuck the corn and rinse in cold running water, then rub with paper towels to remove the residual silk.

Drop the corn in a large pot of vigorously boiling water, return to the boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the corn remain in the water for 9 or 10 minutes. Remove with tongs and serve at once.

Using this method, the corn can remain in the water for 10 to 15 minutes longer, staying hot without damaging the flavor or texture. Using this method makes life easier for the busy cook.

When roasting on the grill, peel back the husks but leave them attached while removing the corn silk. Re-wrap the husks around each ear and tie them with a strip of cornhusk. Soak them in cool water for 20 minutes. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently.

For oven roasting, butter and salt the ears after the silks are removed, then tie up and soak as above or shuck them completely and wrap them in aluminum foil. Roast at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes. For something a little different, try brushing the de-silked ears with the following seasoned butters before roasting:

LIME BUTTER