You may think from the headline this post will blast corn. Let me be clear, high fructose corn syrup sucks. There I said it. I come from a family that loves conspiracy theories almost more than believing the Cubs can win a world series…almost. I, however, am not one in the “everything is a conspiracy” camp. HFCS gained prominence in our food chain for one reason; it is cheap compared to sugar. No conspiracy to make people fat and unhealthy. This is changing because people have been voting with their wallets. The same is true for GMO’s, artificial dyes, preservatives, antibiotics ect. If you want change, change your spending habits.
Now let’s get to the glories of corn. This new world starch has been hybridized over near 10,000 years. I want to shift to my 5 favorite corn uses and for this I am taking a new approach. In my research I jumped right to page 10 of google to see if there was any perfect 10 magic to be had. Of course there was.
- Corn Bread: Corn bread is one of those things that can be so so good…or so so bad, water, water …help. It is such a great side car to a hot bowl of chili (we like corn in the chili too) or proper BBQ with baked beans. Hot out of a skillet with melted full fat creamy Irish butter….and from page 10: Black Skillet Cornbread
- Creamed corn: I don’t care if they scrapped it off the floor of the canned corn warehouse. Creamed corn is like gravy with mashed potatoes and pork chops. Throw in some homemade apple sauce and …She Gone… From the 10th page on google comes this unreal adaptation with one ingredient that is a foreshadowing to #3. Dean Fearing’s Bourbon-Jalapeño Creamed Corn
- Bourbon: Now I am a Rye man myself, but I will not pass on good bourbon now and again. I am a big fan of Bulleit Bourbon and have made it a Makers night in The Big Easy on occasion. From page 10… A little history: Bourbon 101: Everything You Need to Know (to Start)
- Corn on the cob: Do I really need to discuss. Well I will say that local, in season corn on the cob is so great. You know it is if you have thirds. As my mom says “fresh is right out of the field into the pot…no time for sugar to go to starch”. Eating it raw in the field is awesome to. Its natures candy (move over cherries). And from page 10 this recipe that I can’t wait to try: Mexican Grilled Corn (Elote)
- Corn Fritters: This recipe actually got me thinking about corn. It shows the versatility and done right, shows a great way to mix it up in the kitchen: Jalapeño Corn Fritters
We are in the thick of the dog days of summer… and what that really means is the corn ain’t getting any sweeter. Try one of these takes on corn and share your creations with us.
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