I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
careful next time. e.

On Aug 25, 6:05*pm, Mr. Bill > wrote:

>
> Probably....I will never forget my Grandparents telling us kids that
> if you dropped the corn bringing it in from the field...it was too old
> to cook. * They told us lots of treasured stories..... *
>


My version was....if the farmer didn't RUN it in from the field, it
wasn't fresh.

wrote:
> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
> careful next time. e.



Without seeing it, it sounds as if those indentations are a sign that
the corn is losing moisture, starting to dry out.

The usual description of fresh corn is "plump kernels", no indentations.
The stand owners should be ashamed to sell old corn.

gloria p

On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:44:43 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
> careful next time. e.

Here's what I do. First I feel the corn to see if it's well developed
at the tassel end. If it is, I peel it back just a bit to take a
peek. If the kernels are fully grown, round and firm, I pop one with
a nail to see if it's juicy or not. If the liquid squirts out, it's
fresh. After that is up to you. One of the reasons people shuck corn
at the store it to make sure there are no varmints (bugs and worms)
that have been having a field day inside. I prefer to take my
chances.... tempt fate, as they say.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

If you can't enjoy it raw, it just isn't right.

I always purchase one ear and eat it in front of the guy. I love raw sweet corn, and if it sucks, it sucks.

Got a nice batch waiting on me.

sf wrote:


> One of the reasons people shuck corn
> at the store it to make sure there are no varmints (bugs and worms)
> that have been having a field day inside. I prefer to take my
> chances.... tempt fate, as they say.
>


I never saw people shucking corn in the store until we moved from
New England to Colorado. I've always assumed it was to avoid having
the mess of the husks and silk at home. I haven't found a bug or worm
in corn in >25 years since we grew it in the back yard. I guess it's
a case of "Better Living Through Chemistry".

gloria p

On Aug 25, 5:16*pm, Kalmia > wrote:

>
> My version was....if the farmer didn't RUN it in from the field, it
> wasn't fresh.

Yup. Here's how you cook fresh corn.

Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rapid boil.

Run out to the garden and pick the ears of corn you are going to cook.

Shuck the corn as you are running back to the house.

Drop the shucked corn in the water.

Wait two minutes and fish it out.

Eat.

On Aug 25, 4:44*pm, " > wrote:
> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! * *I'm
> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> on the cob's corn. *I'm thinking that it might be old. *I will be more
> careful next time. e.

Full, plump kernels. Even the racoons will peel back the husks to see
if it's ready yet. Which is really annoying.

N.

On 8/25/2010 10:43 PM, sf wrote:
> One of the reasons people shuck corn
> at the store it to make sure there are no varmints (bugs and worms)
> that have been having a field day inside. I prefer to take my
> chances.... tempt fate, as they say.

Nobody shucks corn at the store here in Louisiana, or where I lived in
Texas, but they do in Miami. They had huge boxes sitting near the corn,
and it looked like everyone shucked theirs.

Becca

On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:43:42 -0700, sf wrote:

> On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:44:43 -0700 (PDT), "
> > wrote:
>
>> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
>> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
>> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
>> careful next time. e.
>
> Here's what I do. First I feel the corn to see if it's well developed
> at the tassel end. If it is, I peel it back just a bit to take a
> peek. If the kernels are fully grown, round and firm, I pop one with
> a nail to see if it's juicy or not. If the liquid squirts out, it's
> fresh. After that is up to you. One of the reasons people shuck corn
> at the store it to make sure there are no varmints (bugs and worms)
> that have been having a field day inside. I prefer to take my
> chances.... tempt fate, as they say.

i always take a peep, too, but not a pop.

your pal,
blake

l wrote:

>> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
>> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
>> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
>> careful next time. e.
>
> Are you sure it was sweet corn rather than dent/field corn? Dent corn
> forms indentations in the end of the kernals as it matures and is not as
> sweet tasting as sweet corn. While it is mostly grown to full maturity,
> thus hard kernals, dent corn is sometimes sold immature for eating in the
> manner of sweet corn.

That's what I was thinking too, and remembering that some people here have
expressed a preference for field corn over sweet corn.

Bob

On Aug 26, 8:17*am, ImStillMags > wrote:
> On Aug 25, 5:16*pm, Kalmia > wrote:
>
>
>
> > My version was....if the farmer didn't RUN it in from the field, it
> > wasn't fresh.
>
> Yup. * *Here's how you cook fresh corn.
>
> Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rapid boil.
>
> Run out to the garden and pick the ears of corn you are going to cook.
>
> Shuck the corn as you are running back to the house.
>
> Drop the shucked corn in the water.
>
> Wait two minutes and fish it out.
>
> Eat.

==
I certainly cook it longer that two minutes...more like ten.
==

"Nancy2" > wrote in message
...
On Aug 25, 4:44 pm, " > wrote:
> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
> careful next time. e.

Full, plump kernels. Even the racoons will peel back the husks to see
if it's ready yet. Which is really annoying.

N.



LOL! Raccoons are smart! And they have opposible thumbs, so watch out

Jill

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:47:13 -0500, Ema Nymton >
wrote:

> On 8/25/2010 10:43 PM, sf wrote:
> > One of the reasons people shuck corn
> > at the store it to make sure there are no varmints (bugs and worms)
> > that have been having a field day inside. I prefer to take my
> > chances.... tempt fate, as they say.
>
> Nobody shucks corn at the store here in Louisiana, or where I lived in
> Texas, but they do in Miami. They had huge boxes sitting near the corn,
> and it looked like everyone shucked theirs.
>
They put full sized garbage cans next to our displays of corn and they
always seem to be full.


--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Aug 25, 3:05*pm, Mr. Bill > wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:44:43 -0700 (PDT), "
>
> > wrote:
> >I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! * *I'm
> >cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> >on the cob's corn. *I'm thinking that it might be old. *I will be more
> >careful next time. e.
>
> Probably....I will never forget my Grandparents telling us kids that
> if you dropped the corn bringing it in from the field...it was too old
> to cook. * They told us lots of treasured stories..... *
>

Hardworking plant scientists at the University of Illinois developed
corn whose sugars did not turn to starch on the way in from the
garden. Now people complain that corn is too sweet. They must miss the
boiled starchballs of the past.

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:09:54 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:

>
> On 25-Aug-2010, " > wrote:
>
> > I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
> > cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> > on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
> > careful next time. e.
>
> Are you sure it was sweet corn rather than dent/field corn? Dent corn
> forms indentations in the end of the kernals as it matures and is not as
> sweet tasting as sweet corn. While it is mostly grown to full maturity,
> thus hard kernals, dent corn is sometimes sold immature for eating in the
> manner of sweet corn.

If that's what it was, it should have been advertised as field corn.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Aug 26, 10:25*am, Roy > wrote:

> ==
> I certainly cook it longer that two minutes...more like ten.
> ==- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

If it's really good, really sweet, really fresh right off the stalk
corn, why cook it at all???
We would pick one and shuck it and eat it right in the garden while we
pulled weeds, etc.

On Aug 26, 2:01*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:09:54 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:
>
> > On 25-Aug-2010, " > wrote:
>
> > > I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! * *I'm
> > > cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> > > on the cob's corn. *I'm thinking that it might be old. *I will be more
> > > careful next time. e.
>
> > Are you sure it was sweet corn rather than dent/field corn? * Dent corn
> > forms indentations in the end of the kernals as it matures and is not as
> > sweet tasting as sweet corn. * While it is mostly grown to full maturity,
> > thus hard kernals, dent corn is sometimes sold immature for eating in the
> > manner of sweet corn.
>
> If that's what it was, it should have been advertised as field corn.
>
> --
>
> Never trust a dog to watch your food.

It's sweet corn season here in Ontario - and that's what it was
supposed to be. Field corn. Isn't that for chickens?

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:09:22 -0700 (PDT), lainie >
wrote:

> On Aug 26, 2:01*pm, sf > wrote:
> > On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:09:54 GMT, "l, not -l" > wrote:
> >
> > > On 25-Aug-2010, " > wrote:
> >
> > > > I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! * *I'm
> > > > cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> > > > on the cob's corn. *I'm thinking that it might be old. *I will be more
> > > > careful next time. e.
> >
> > > Are you sure it was sweet corn rather than dent/field corn? * Dent corn
> > > forms indentations in the end of the kernals as it matures and is not as
> > > sweet tasting as sweet corn. * While it is mostly grown to full maturity,
> > > thus hard kernals, dent corn is sometimes sold immature for eating in the
> > > manner of sweet corn.
> >
> > If that's what it was, it should have been advertised as field corn.
> >
>
> It's sweet corn season here in Ontario - and that's what it was
> supposed to be. Field corn. Isn't that for chickens?

It's for pigs and cows too... but then you have regulars here who
prefer field corn over sweet corn. Go figger. I'm still thinking you
got some old sweet corn. Did it have any sweetness to it? But if it
really was field corn, that farm stand needs a crash course called
Truth in Advertising. Sorry you had such bad luck.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On 8/26/2010 11:27 AM, Omelet wrote:
>> Nobody shucks corn at the store here in Louisiana, or where I lived in
>> Texas, but they do in Miami. They had huge boxes sitting near the corn,
>> and it looked like everyone shucked theirs.
>>
>> Becca
> I see people shucking corn at the store.
> When I do, I give them my microwave recipe and gently dare them to try
> it.<g>

Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? They
don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.

Becca

On Aug 26, 12:03*pm, ImStillMags > wrote:
> On Aug 26, 10:25*am, Roy > wrote:
>
> > ==
> > I certainly cook it longer that two minutes...more like ten.
> > ==- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> If it's really good, really sweet, really fresh right off the stalk
> corn, why cook it at all???
> We would pick one and shuck it and eat it right in the garden while we
> pulled weeds, etc.

==
If I ate it uncooked, I would have the trots for hours. I remember
this happening when I was a kid when we would raid the garden (between
meals of course).
==

On Aug 26, 2:37*pm, Ema Nymton > wrote:
> * On 8/26/2010 11:27 AM, Omelet wrote:
>
> >> Nobody shucks corn at the store here in Louisiana, or where I lived in
> >> Texas, but they do in Miami. They had huge boxes sitting near the corn,
> >> and it looked like everyone shucked theirs.
>
> >> Becca
> > I see people shucking corn at the store.
> > When I do, I give them my microwave recipe and gently dare them to try
> > it.<g>
>
> Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? *They
> don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.
>
> Becca

==
We told our customers...NO SHUCKING until they left the store. Very
few ever did although a few would take a small strip off to check for
ripeness. You have to watch people in a store, they can be damned
right piggy at times. Same with mandarin oranges, I don't know how
many peelings we found tossed behind or on top of the display case. A
garbage can for shuckers?...never, that just encourages people to be
slobs.
==

In article
>,
ImStillMags > wrote:

> On Aug 26, 10:25*am, Roy > wrote:
>
> > ==
> > I certainly cook it longer that two minutes...more like ten.
> > ==- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> If it's really good, really sweet, really fresh right off the stalk
> corn, why cook it at all???

The butter doesn't stay melted unless the corn is at least warm.

:-)

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:24:10 -0700, Dan Abel wrote:

> In article
> >,
> ImStillMags > wrote:
>
>> On Aug 26, 10:25*am, Roy > wrote:
>>
>>> ==
>>> I certainly cook it longer that two minutes...more like ten.
>>> ==- Hide quoted text -
>>>
>>> - Show quoted text -
>>
>> If it's really good, really sweet, really fresh right off the stalk
>> corn, why cook it at all???
>
> The butter doesn't stay melted unless the corn is at least warm.
>
> :-)

exactly. or melt in the first place.

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:40:28 -0700 (PDT), Nancy2
> wrote:

>On Aug 25, 4:44*pm, " > wrote:
>> I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! * *I'm
>> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
>> on the cob's corn. *I'm thinking that it might be old. *I will be more
>> careful next time. e.
>
>Full, plump kernels. Even the racoons will peel back the husks to see
>if it's ready yet. Which is really annoying.
>

That's why we gave up on growing our own sweet corn. We knew as soon
as the raccoons destroyed the patch the corn would have been perfect
in two more days.

Ross.

" > wrote in message
...
>I picked up corn at a local stand yesterday - wasn't great! I'm
> cooking up the remainder and notice that there are little indentations
> on the cob's corn. I'm thinking that it might be old. I will be more
> careful next time. e.


Look at how wet - dry the cut end is - just cut fresh corn is moist at the
cut.

Dimitri

On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton >
wrote:

>Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? They
>don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.

Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking all over
the southeastern US.

-- Larry

Much in the upper midwest is not cut but handpicked. I've been fortunate enough to do this often. When the picker is going through the rows, he bends the ears down. Those that break off are keepers. Still, seeing some freshness there is good.

On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:55:40 -0400, wrote:

> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton >
> wrote:
>
>>Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? They
>>don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.
>
> Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking all over
> the southeastern US.
>
> -- Larry

my local grocery (in maryland) does this. i'm not sure what the advantage
(to the consumer) is.

your pal,
blake

blake wrote on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:29:26 -0400:

>> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn
>>> shucks? They don't do that in the Houston area - at least
>>> not yet.
>>
>> Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking
>> all over the southeastern US.
>>
>> -- Larry

> my local grocery (in maryland) does this. i'm not sure what
> the advantage (to the consumer) is.

A lot of people like to shuck their corncobs before buying them. It does
let you see their condition but I think it also speeds up the conversion
of sugar to starch. I'm a corn nuker myself but I do strip the leaves
back a bit so that I can see the top of the ear.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"blake murphy" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:55:40 -0400, wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? They
>>>don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.
>>
>> Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking all over
>> the southeastern US.
>>
>> -- Larry
>
> my local grocery (in maryland) does this. i'm not sure what the advantage
> (to the consumer) is.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Probably because a lot of people are going to make a mess anyway picking
through the ears. If you want fresh corn, go to a local stand or farmer's
market, not the supermarket. Sad if you live in a city with no better
outlets.

On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:57:22 -0400, James Silverton wrote:

> blake wrote on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:29:26 -0400:
>
>>> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn
>>>> shucks? They don't do that in the Houston area - at least
>>>> not yet.
>>>
>>> Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking
>>> all over the southeastern US.
>>>
>>> -- Larry
>
>> my local grocery (in maryland) does this. i'm not sure what
>> the advantage (to the consumer) is.
>
> A lot of people like to shuck their corncobs before buying them. It does
> let you see their condition but I think it also speeds up the conversion
> of sugar to starch. I'm a corn nuker myself but I do strip the leaves
> back a bit so that I can see the top of the ear.

i thought the theory with almost any vegetable was to peel (or shuck, etc.)
as close to cooking time as possible.

your pal,
blake

On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:20:37 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

> "blake murphy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:55:40 -0400, wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:37:47 -0500, Ema Nymton >
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Do they have giant boxes for you to toss away the corn shucks? They
>>>>don't do that in the Houston area - at least not yet.
>>>
>>> Some grocery chains provide trash cans for in-store shucking all over
>>> the southeastern US.
>>>
>>> -- Larry
>>
>> my local grocery (in maryland) does this. i'm not sure what the advantage
>> (to the consumer) is.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>
> Probably because a lot of people are going to make a mess anyway picking
> through the ears. If you want fresh corn, go to a local stand or farmer's
> market, not the supermarket. Sad if you live in a city with no better
> outlets.

it can be a drag in some respects.

your pal,
blake

On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:10:31 -0400, blake murphy
> wrote:

> On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:20:37 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>
> > Probably because a lot of people are going to make a mess anyway picking
> > through the ears. If you want fresh corn, go to a local stand or farmer's
> > market, not the supermarket. Sad if you live in a city with no better
> > outlets.
>
> it can be a drag in some respects.
>
Frankly, if you don't have a garden - you're up a creek. I've seen
some pretty sad looking produce at farm stands.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

sf wrote on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 10:55:28 -0700:

>> On Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:20:37 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>
> >> Probably because a lot of people are going to make a mess
> >> anyway picking through the ears. If you want fresh corn,
> >> go to a local stand or farmer's market, not the
> >> supermarket. Sad if you live in a city with no better
> >> outlets.
>>
>> it can be a drag in some respects.
>>
> Frankly, if you don't have a garden - you're up a creek. I've
> seen some pretty sad looking produce at farm stands.

You can be pretty well screwed at this time of the year even if you do
have a garden. The deer have wiped out all the vegetables grown by my
new neighbors. There are a few things they don't eat but neither do we
:-)

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

sf wrote:

> Frankly, if you don't have a garden - you're up a creek. I've seen
> some pretty sad looking produce at farm stands.

I've seen some pretty sad-looking produce come out of my garden!

Bob

On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:03:43 -0700, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

> sf wrote:
>
> > Frankly, if you don't have a garden - you're up a creek. I've seen
> > some pretty sad looking produce at farm stands.
>
> I've seen some pretty sad-looking produce come out of my garden!
>
I guess we're all scr*wed then.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

Dios mio. Must be some sad fasrms near you guys then. The corn this year has been excellent as had been the cantaloupe, zucch, cukes, etc. The wet summer here, though, has created a proliferation of slugs that have been knawing my tomatoes. Yeah, yeah, plate of beer, and all that. Can't get them all. Great tomato, though.

Nice year for mushrooms, though.

On Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:15:58 +0000, Gorio wrote:

> 'sf[_9_ Wrote:
>> ;1524048']On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:03:43 -0700, "Bob Terwilliger"
>> wrote:
>> -
>> sf wrote:
>> -
>> Frankly, if you don't have a garden - you're up a creek. I've seen
>> some pretty sad looking produce at farm stands.-
>>
>> I've seen some pretty sad-looking produce come out of my garden!
>> -
>> I guess we're all scr*wed then.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Never trust a dog to watch your food.
>
> Dios mio. Must be some sad fasrms near you guys then. The corn this year
> has been excellent as had been the cantaloupe, zucch, cukes, etc. The
> wet summer here, though, has created a proliferation of slugs that have
> been knawing my tomatoes. Yeah, yeah, plate of beer, and all that. Can't
> get them all.

have you tried imported beer? some of the slugs have been getting pretty
snooty lately.

your pal,
blake

On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:07:04 -0400, blake murphy
> wrote:

> have you tried imported beer? some of the slugs have been getting pretty
> snooty lately.

Sounds like mice I tried to trap in the past. They turned up their
noses at peanut butter and cheddar cheese, but went for the fancy
imported cheese.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.