At the risk of sounding like a cranky old lady, I'll tell you that I often lament the decline of "special" in our lives. As technology forges ahead, faster and faster, the Internet allows us to put any little thing our hearts desire into our hands with the click of a mouse. We're all about immediate gratification as a society, and I don't know that the immediate availability of material things necessarily improves our quality of life. I'm not ready to swing the other direction to the Unabomber Camp either, I just think anticipation enhances appreciation.
Thankfully, there are certain things that require patience and waiting, and...longing. And home grown sweet corn is one of those. I think that waiting for the one month of the year where you can enjoy locally grown corn makes it taste that much sweeter and yes, special. I love corn on the cob, always have and always will. I'm a purist-I love to smear it with butter and douse it with salt and savor every kernel. I'd have to say that the best corn I ever had in my life was when my ex and I lived in Pittsburgh. (My God, I loved that city.) Around the corner from our townhouse was a little garden center, and in August, the hand-painted sign went up advertising "JUST PIKD SILVER QUEEN CORN." It was still in the old bushel baskets, ready for your selection. It was like eating candy. Even my mom still talks about that weekend when we consumed dozens of ears.
One of the most popular food attractions at the Minnesota State Fair is the roasted corn on the cob booth. The corn is roasted in huge baskets over hot coals. Two workers flip the baskets mid-cycle and when the corn is done, it's thrown onto a table where the employees pull the husks down, so that the leaves become a makeshift handle. When you pay for your ears, they are first dunked in melted butter then handed over to you for seasoning. Hint-if you partake, pack some dental floss in your pocket.
Since attending my first State Fair nine years ago, I've come to love grilling my corn on the cob at home. Besides the flavor, the best thing about grilling the corn outside is that you're eliminating a huge boiling pot of water from your stove during a time of year when temperatures are at their highest.
Grilling corn on the cob is very simple, though does require some preplanning. First, remove the silk from the corn, leaving the husks intact. Then, soak the ears in cold water for at least one hour. I've seen recipes that require only 10 minutes, but I don't believe it's enough. Preheat your grill for at least five minutes before putting on the corn. Lay the ears on the grates leaving at least an inch between them. Turn every five minutes, until ears are cooked all the way around-I do slight turns each time, so the total cooking time is 25 minutes.
The downside to the above method is the charred husks can pollute your home, and end up everywhere if you're not careful. So occasionally, I'll revert to the big stock pot method. All I do is boil the ears for not more than five minutes. I don't add anything to the water, though some like a tablespooon of salt or sugar.
