Corn

First let me acknowledge that the photo leaves a lot to be desired. But I just can't afford to get Tater over here to get a gorgeous shot. Give me some credit for digging out a decent plate and a bit of creativity to include some ears still in their husks.

With that out of the way — I love New York State corn! Everywhere you go, there's generally a specialty food associated with the area. Lobster in Maine. Beans in Boston. Crab cakes in Maryland. BBQ in the south. Mexican in Texas. Salmon in Seattle. Carrots, celery sticks, and ipecac in Los Angeles. And fruit tarts in San Francisco.

So what food did I miss the most when I moved away from here? Fresh corn (with apple pie a close second)! The local Calhoun's farm stand has the best ever. When I used to travel for work, I made it a point to buy corn whenever it was available. The ex looked at me funny when I brought home a half dozen ears from Boise, Idaho one summer. A different summer I bought a dozen of the best stuff here and FEDEXed it to him so he'd have it nice and fresh. (He ended up sharing it with his friends that I couldn't stand, and who never said thank you to me, but that's a whole other kettle of fish.)

The corn in the picture is referred to as Sugar and Butter. It has the same coloring of white and yellow kernels as Salt and Pepper (like the early crops we get here from Florida), but it is much more sweet and tender. This is an earlier variety. Later this month, a similar variety identified by its purple-hued husks will appear in the bins.

Harvested in the fields and sold in an adjacent red barn outpost. Word spreads throughout the land when it opens for the season. "Hey, Calhoun's is open!" "Yeah, I know, already got a dozen!" And so it goes.
*