For as long as we've been coming out to this rural area where we now live, or about six years, we've purchased sweet corn from the nearby D***e Farms. It is, hands down, the best sweet corn in the four-county area of the upper Northwest of Illinois.
Sometime in early July D***e Farms will put up a roadside sign announcing the start of their selling season, which usually lasts only 4 to 5 weeks, weather dependent of course. A couple of years ago they started a Facebook page which provides updates on their selling season. I'm hoping they will soon have a Twitter account.
D***e Farms plants sweet corn in weekly increments, so they are picking corn fresh every day, except Sunday for one solid month. They "never" pick or sell on Sunday.
I've always been curious about these farmers and some years back I did a bit of online research on them, but when I tried to re-research them again recently, I couldn't find the same information. Such is the world of the Internet, I guess.
Anyway, my recall is that I'd found in my previous research indications that they were fervent Christians, which jibes with my windshield survey of the operation. It appears to be a family run business. But, only the men and boys are seen. The adult men all sport full Jesus-like beards. I have never seen a woman or girl anywhere on the premises. The men folk set up long card tables under a tree-shaded area next to the wide farm driveway, upon which are plastic bags pre-filled with a 'baker's dozen' of corn. Adjacent to the tables is a wagon filled with ears of corn. They have gunny sacks for those wishing to purchase in larger quantities. Throughout the day you will see a half dozen men sitting or standing and talking beside the tables, and a handful of young boys running, playing and laughing in the background, all while waiting for the next wave of customers. At lunchtime the men will disappear and the young boys will come forth to sell the corn. Sometimes, if you are approaching from the North, you can see young men hand-harvesting the corn.
On weekends there is usually a line of cars waiting to buy corn. You pull in, make a u-turn at the back of the driveway and pull up to the tables. One of the fellows will ask you how many dozen you want. Someone else will grab the appropriate amount and they'll place it in your trunk or backseat or wherever you want. I always want it in my lap. You give them the money and off you go.
pre-bagged corn
never on a Sunday!(I snapped this last year)
I often wonder about the "invisible" women and girls… Are they in the house cooking or sewing or doing laundry? Do they ever feel the sun upon their faces or the need to seek shelter from the heat and humidity of outdoor July weather? Do the young girls ever run and play and laugh outside? But, I'm getting away from my point here…
I also recall that my past research indicated that Bi-color Mirai (pronounced me-RYE) is the brand of sweet corn they grow. Mirai is a hybrid developed in Illnois. "Mirai" is a Japanese name/word which can mean either "taste buds" or "the future is near," and so translates to something like 'taste from the near future.' Mirai corn can only be hand-picked and so is not used by large commercial farms.
So I am now smack dab in the midst of my short, but sweet time slot of sweet corn availability and all of the deliciousness that goes with it. When we first started buying from D***e Farms the price for a "dozen" (thirteen is what they provided then) ears of corn was three dollars, which is approximately 23 cents per ear. In 2012 it went up to four dollars, but they began putting 14 ears in the "dozen" bag, so about 28 cents each. This year the price is five dollars for a "dozen" (now a 15 ear count), or 33 cents each. Their corn is also sold at a local (if you call 20+ miles away local) grocery store, a sign hung over the bin proudly boasting "D***e Farms Sweet Corn." But, it costs twice as much there. The only benefit being that you can buy in quantities of less than a dozen.
D***e Farms corn is sweet enough to eat raw and trust me I've done just that. But, when I can wait long enough for the twenty or so minute drive home from the farm, my preference is to eat it grilled (after applying a combination of extra virgin olive oil, mayonnaise and sriracha, followed by a brush with soft butter and a dusting of sea salt just before eating).
But, my primary reason for anxiously awaiting the arrival of the fresh sweet corn season each year is my complete and utter addiction to my homemade fresh sweet corn ice cream.
Near the end of June I eagerly watch for D***e Farms' FB postings or their trusty roadsign when I drive by, as I anticipate the announcement of the first day they will sell sweet corn. Barring any unforeseen hitch, I will be there on that first day. On that very day I will, upon arriving home, reserve six ears of corn for ice cream to be made that day. The rest will be grilled or in the event of a severe thunderstorm or such, simply steamed or boiled stovetop indoors. And I will do this weekly for four weeks. If we have company I will double my purchase.
just got it home
It's just a short enough season that I don't tire of sweet corn. I know it will be a whole year before I can enjoy it again. I will have sweet corn ice cream for dessert practically every day for the month-long season (to be honest here, most days I have it twice a day.) My husband has not yet acquired a taste for it, preferring a strawberry/fresh basil/balsamic ice cream I make. And I'm just as happy to keep it that way. I'm happy to eat my sweet corn ice cream all by myself. I can have strawberry ice cream anytime of the year But, there is only one time that I can make sweet corn ice cream.
Here are my recipes:
Rae's Slightly Spicy but Oh-So Delicious Grilled Sweet Corn
INGREDIENTS:
6 ears of fresh sweet corn (Mirai, if you can get your hands on some)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (eevo, as Rachel Ray calls it)
1/4 cup of good mayonnaise (I use Hellman's and for goodness sake don't use that low-fat stuff!)
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoons of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, depending on your heat preference
4 tablespoons of soft or melted butter
sea salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix the eevo, mayo and sriracha in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat your grill to a medium heat.
Peel back the corn husks to within an inch of the bottom.
Remove the cornsilk and rinse the corn with cold water and pat dry.
Spread the mayo-mix over the ears of corn with a brush.
Rewrap by pushing the husks back in place. This protects the corn from burning.
Grill directly over medium heat for twenty minutes, turning a quarter way every five minutes, or until you have some slight charring of the corn kernels.
Carefully peel back the hot husks again and brush the corn with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
Serve immediately.
Oh Sriracha, Sriracha!
with a nice char...
Buttery Sriracha-y sweet corn deliciousness!!
Rae's Addictive-to-Sweet-Corn-Lovers Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
6 ears of freshly picked sweet corn
scant 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
Using a large knife, slice the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large saucepan. (I wedge the cobs in the center of my angel food cake pan, which helps to both hold the cobs in place and to catch most of the errant kernels that pop off instead of obediently dropping straight down.)
Put the milk, cream and 1/2 cup of the sugar into a large heavy pot. Put all of the corn kernels and any corn "milk" into the pot. With the blade of your knife, scrape all residual corn bits from the cobs into the pot. Break cobs in half and add to pot. Heat this mixture, stirring occasionally to melt the sugar, just to the point of boiling. Remove from heat and let stand to infuse for 1 hour. Drain and discard corn cobs.
Using an immersion blender, puree the kernels and cream mixture well, then strain the mixture in a strainer pushing down on the corn solids. Freeze the corn solids for future use in corn bread or chowder.
Reheat the strained cream mixture to a simmer, then turn off heat. In a bowl, whisk room temperature egg yolks, 1/8 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Slowly add one cup of hot cream mixture to yolks, beating constantly so the eggs don’t curdle. Add yolk/hot cream mixture to remaining simmered cream in the saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook this custard over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the spoon, or until thermometer reaches 170 degrees fahrenheit.
Let the custard cool for an hour at room temperature, then cover and transfer to refrigerator for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Process the cooled mixture according to your ice cream maker's instructions and freeze, or if you are like me, eat some immediately and freeze the rest.
Going, going… (almost) gone!!
No comments:
Post a Comment