I was down in lower Bucks County today, so I made a point of stopping at Shady Brook Farm. Although I thought it was too early in the season for corn, I decided to take a look just in case. They also sell ice cream and have a playground, so Amaya was more than happy to make the detour. I was in luck; there was a small amount of corn. Even though my friends noted that it was relatively expensive at 2 ears for $1, I shucked a few anyway. We all love corn, and it is one of the truly seasonal vegetables in our world because Amaya has no love for frozen corn. Once I got home, I piled the corn onto a plate and carried it into the dining room for a photo. To my dismay, one ear immediately tumbled off and onto the floor, spraying bits of kernel and corn juice everywhere. What could I do? I rinsed it off and ate it raw. I knew it wouldn’t keep until later, and I knew that raw corn had a sweet appeal of its own.
Years ago when I was a student in Boulder, my friend and I were walking to the Pearl Street Mall. It was summertime, and there was a truck parked by the side of the road filled with corn. A few cute boys were selling the corn and stopped us as we wandered by. We weren’t going to buy any because we were living in the dorm, but they convinced us to at least taste the raw corn. It was a revelation. Each kernel seemed to explode on my tongue, sweet and juicy, with a light crunch and clean flavor. It was the first time I had ever tasted raw corn, and even though it was wonderful, I don’t often remember to eat it this way. Today was the perfect reminder, as the damaged ear was still mostly in good shape. I didn’t waste a kernel, savoring both the flavor and the memory.
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