Corn

Visually appealing and irresistibly sweet, corn adds brightness and crunch to any meal. When grilled, corn takes on a deep and smoky flavour to be enjoyed simply with butter and salt. The uses of corn, however, are vast. Integral to Mexican cuisine, corn can be enjoyed with salsas, tacos, burritos – the list is endless. Lesser-known delights can be made with corn, where its natural sweetness elevates desserts including pies, puddings and even cakes. Corn can act as the star of any culinary dish, think along the lines of corn fritters, cornbread and corn chowder.

To pick:

Knowing when corn is ready to pick involves looking for key visual cues. Firstly, look for a browned ‘tassel’ hanging from the top of the cob. This ‘tassel’ is actually the silk of the corn and should be slightly hairy or hay like. When it is browned, this is a great indicator that the corn is ‘just right’ and ready to pick. Green husks, the leaves encasing the cob itself, should still be green. In terms of size, the cob should be nice and round. Next, you can check the corn is ready by gently opening the leaves and carefully piercing one of the kernels using your fingernail. When ripe and ready to pick, the kernel should let out a milky, slightly translucent sap. Watery sap indicates that the corn is not quite ready to be harvested, whilst no liquid at all demonstrates that the harvest period has been missed. To remove the corn, carefully pull from the top of the corn (its ear) and twist. This process should be easy, so don’t use too much force.