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Friday, September 14, 2007

The Sweetness Factor

Sweet corn...this will be yummy in our tummies during the winter months.
We were recently invited to pick sweet corn from a local organically managed field. The corn has fantastic flavor (I sampled far too much while processing) and every ear was full of yellow, plump, juicy kernels.

All our little pickers were out in the field pulling ears from the corn stalks. Of course, one picker did the majority of the work in the field, but he doesn't complain too much and works relatively cheap.

After about two hours of picking and building a pile of corn in our truck bed, we headed for home - where my work would begin.

I spent two days blanching, cutting, freezing and vacuum packing corn for our freezer. Corn is one of the few things I refuse to preserve by canning. Canned corn isn't as visually appealing or as tasty as frozen corn.
We can't wait to enjoy it as a simple side dish with melted butter and in Mexican corn bread and corn chowder and meatball soup and corn pudding and ... ...

3 comments:

Noelle said...

How satisfying to see all that corn piled up and ready for winter! I was wondering -- why the blanching step? I'm always looking to cut corners (haha) but am wondering if it would be a problem. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Noelle

3anklebiters said...

Blanching is necessary. I just do a quick 5 minute blanch. First it makes the kernals easier to cut from the cob. Second, without blanching the enzymes would destroy the texture and flavor, even in the freezer.

Noelle said...

Ahhh, okay, then. Makes sense - thanks! I may have missed my window for corn this year, though. I'm a day late and a dollar short on various preserving I meant to do this season, although I did make up a big batch of pesto today, so all is not all lost. I have a crock of various veg pickles brining right now, and applesauce is next. :-)