Sweet Corn

Know this

Here is what most people never learn: the sugar in corn begins turning to starch within hours of harvest, so the sweetest ear is the one you cook the day you buy it. Buy from the stand that picked this morning. To check it, peel back a strip of husk, the kernels should be plump and tightly packed all the way to the tip, and when you pop one with a nail it should squirt milk, not paste.

Cook

Grill it in the husk first so it steams in its own moisture, then peel it back and finish it over the open flame for char and smoke. Prefer it boiled? No more than three minutes in unsalted water, and salt it after, never before.

Season

Peak summer, July and August.

Best pairings

butter · lime · chili · cotija · basil · flaky salt

Also worth trying: garlic, honey, cilantro, black pepper, smoked paprika, parmesan, bacon, scallion, brown butter, jalapeno, mayo, queso fresco.

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