Am I the only one who can't find decent sweet corn ??

[Pygmy]

I have had several friends tell me they got some excellent sweet corn.... However  I have got it from five different sources so far, and it all SUCKED big time...3 times it has been totally tasteless, and the other 2 times it would rate perhaps 2 or 3 on a scale of ten...

I must admit that I consider myself somewhat of a CORNESSEUR  and may be a bit harder to please than  Joe Lunchbox,  but I am getting frustrated....

The crows that frequent my backyard   seem to be happy, though..I guess they are not as fussy as I am...<<sigh>>...

[G-Man]

Most sweet corn today are look good tasteless hybrids .  Same with most fruit and veggies. Need to find a farmer/ grower that like heirloom varieties  if you want flavor.

[Lawdwaz]

We’ve gotten it a few times at Niagara Produce and as far as I know, they source it at Harris Farms in Gasport.   It’s been outstanding each time…..

[hueyjazz]

There're two things I'm a certified junkie for.  Maple Syrup and Sweet corn.  I have excellent sources for both.  Part of the trick with corn is the longer it is off the stalk the more flavor it loses.  Learn when they restock stand.

[The_Real_TCIII]

The stand by me has been fantastic


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Lawdwaz]

9 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

The stand by me has been fantastic


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Spoth’s?

[The_Real_TCIII]

Spoth’s?

Yes on Clarence Center east of my street


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Hock3y24]

Just had the best sweet corn I've had in my life, it tasted like candy. Russels farms out of Brackney PA, they have farm stands in Vestal NY. 

[Daveboone]

I hate cooked vegetables. That said, I love good sweet corn, but if it isnt to my standard, first bite I stop eating. Early season I had a tough time finding good corn. The past few weeks, Wegmans has been very reliable for very good corn. I dream of Snow Queen, the all white variety, but it is very difficult to find. 

[Otto]

A couple of tips from another sweet corn snob.

Buy at a local farm stand and ask when the corn was picked.  Freshest is best, but 1 or 2 days in the fridge won’t kill the flavor as much as back even 10 years ago.  Wegmans does buy from local farms, but I know that the corn on the shelf may have been in their warehouse for 2 or 3 days before it comes out to the sales floor.  

Heirloom varieties are great as mentioned.  But todays seed is not only modified for shipping and shelf life, but also for sweetness and taste.  

To cook - put your cobs in a large pot, add 2 inches of water to it. If you have a rack to lift corn out of the water, that’s good, but not imperative.  Cover and let come to a boil.  When corn has turned a bright yellow color it is done.  Your are steaming it, not boiling it.   Our family tradition is to eat corn after dinner.  We turn the corn on when we sit down for dinner, by the time we are done with that, the corn is ready and comes out steaming hot.

If you were closer, I would get you corn from our farm.  I guarantee you would be satisfied with it!

[Pygmy]

12 hours ago, hueyjazz said:

There're two things I'm a certified junkie for.  Maple Syrup and Sweet corn.  I have excellent sources for both.  Part of the trick with corn is the longer it is off the stalk the more flavor it loses.  Learn when they restock stand.

Yeah,  I remember growing up on the farm where we grew our own... Mom would get the water heating and THEN we would go out and pick and husk the corn...From picking to pot  was a matter of minutes..

Back then I could put away 8 or 10 ears to a sitting....Best I can do now is about six, but only if it's GOOD......

[The_Real_TCIII]

I put it in the pot and turn it on, covered. When it boils I turn the heat off and let it sit for nine minutes, seems to come out perfect every time

[Five Seasons]

13 hours ago, G-Man said:

Most sweet corn today are look good tasteless hybrids .  Same with most fruit and veggies. Need to find a farmer/ grower that like heirloom varieties  if you want flavor.

yep, strawberries are bigger and prettier but nearly no taste left. I'm affraid to see that apples appear to be going that way too. Hell they spray wax on them now so that Kathy will be attracted to them. A single spot and people wont touch them. The best tasting apples I know of are the 20+ year old trees with the occasional scab and worm hole. Look like crap, but taste amazing. 

[phade]

13 hours ago, hueyjazz said:

There're two things I'm a certified junkie for.  Maple Syrup and Sweet corn.  I have excellent sources for both.  Part of the trick with corn is the longer it is off the stalk the more flavor it loses.  Learn when they restock stand.

This right here. Corn loses major flavor and sugar content the longer off the stalk. Key is proper harvesting time and quick to table preparation. 24 hours is an eternity. Most of the local corn we get is picked and eaten same day and usually within a few hours.

[wolc123]

Between the drought, the weeds, and the coons, I lost my first two plantings.  Last year, my first (cappuccino) was very good, and the second (bodacious) sucked.   

I am anxiously awaiting my 3rd (kandy corn) and 4th (silver queen) plantings this year.  Those later varieties were always my favorites.  

 

 

[Pygmy]

3 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Between the drought, the weeds, and the coons, I lost my first two plantings.  Last year, my first (cappuccino) was very good, and the second (bodacious) sucked.   

I am anxiously awaiting my 3rd (kandy corn) and 4th (silver queen) plantings this year.  Those later varieties were always my favorites.  

 

 

I'm a fan of those later varieties too...

[stubborn1VT]

In my experience, drought/dry weather is a real flavor killer.  I haven't had any sweet corn yet.  There is almost none locally, thanks to dry conditions.  Maybe in 2 or 3 weeks.

[hueyjazz]

My stand is six miles from Swain ski mountain.  This area has been in the drought zone forever, yet their corn is still fabulous as it is year after year.  I know exactly where the field is, and I know it is not irrigated so I'm not sure how they are pulling it off. 

And it makes no difference on time of season as far as taste for the local corn as far as I can see.  Only exception is late in season the worms start getting to it.

I've got many ways to cook corn.  Nothing wrong with doing them on the grill.  Some soak before, some don't.  Some snip silk end before.   Wrapped in foil with husk and buried in coals is camping favorite

My "never fail" for stovetop is add three TBSP of lemon juice and three sugar to a pot of water.  When the water is a rolling boil then add skinned corn for three minutes.  I'm at a high attitude so YMMV for time.  Never a tough skin