Corn on the cob is a summer eating ritual, and stripping off the kernels to eat with a spoon or fork is nearly sacrilege. Right? Well, there are untold silent numbers who actually prefer their corn off the cob, though maybe not for the reasons you’d think.
I am definitely among those who prefers corn to be off the cob. I don’t mind getting butter on my cheeks or even burning my fingertips when I can’t find the corn skewers. It’s getting the corn stuck between my teeth. Even as a kid, I hated that feeling. It was a revelation to me when I realized I could actually cut my corn off the cob - as long as I could withstand the taunts from my dining companions.
Do you embrace the inherent mess of corn on the cob, or do you also prefer to cut it off? What are your reasons?
Related: How to Tell Someone There’s Food In Their Teeth
(Image: Flickr member rachaelvoorhees licensed under Creative Commons)
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Needing to shower after eating is reserved for ribs. Corn, I prefer off the cob and docile.
I'm an on the cob kinda girl. I feel like the corn is juicier that way.
My favorite is plain ol' corn roasted on the grill slathered with butter and salt. After that, this is my favorite: Chile Lime Corn Saute
http://www.atthefarmersmarket.com/2010/07/chile-lime-corn-saute.html
Hello all...
I live in Romania and to tell you the truth I have NEVER EVER cut the corn off the cob. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing anyone doing it around here.
I like to eat it on the cob, get corn in my teeth and burn my lips because no, you cannot be patient around fresh boiled corn :).
i love both! i just made my first corn salad...
http://mydailyinspirationboard.blogspot.com/2010/07/corn-joyful-summer-ritual.html
I love to eat it on the cob when the time is right. At a cookout, or even the right Mexican restaurant, it's got to stay on the cob. It's a whole different story if I'm at home though. I just slice it off and mix in whatever I would have slathered on top.
On the cob please. But if the corn is not tender, I would cut it off and freeze it for soups/chowders later on.
A hint I read on Heloise: stick your corn-on-the-cob skewers into the ends of a wine cork to keep them together and safe.
If it's super fresh and sweet, there's nothing like the feeling of all those little kernels exploding in your mouth as you bite through them on the cob! I'll cut it off the cob if I'm using it for something else, like in a soup or salad. Otherwise, provided it's really awesome corn (not hard to come by here in Nebraska), eating it off the cob is hard to beat!
"Put the knife down, ma'am, and leave the corn on the cob."
I don't even care for skewers (my partner insists on them) - I enjoy 'digging in' to truly fresh corn.
Love to eat it off the cob-thats what toothpicks are for.
On the cob!
Another vote for on the cob - in fact, I'm eyeing up two freshly made ears right now. :)
OFF the cob. I have braces, so it's really no fun at all chewing on a cob of corn. Besides, cutting it off the cob allows me to mix it with other foods I'm eating.
I cut the corn off the cob after it has been cooked!
When I was a kid I LOVED corn on the cob. We had a decent sized garden and had probably 30 or so corn stalks, and there was nothing better than corn that was picked 2 minutes before boiling. If however my mom cut it off the cob I refused to eat it.
Corn on the cob! No need for butter or salt!
Agreed on the teeth thing. I avoid popcorn for the same reason.
I'm from Indiana which means to me, the ONLY way to eat corn is:
1. Bought off the back of someone's truck
2. Boiled in a big pot
3. On the cob slathered in butter and salt.
I have lots of recipes for corn and tomato salad, or corn fritters, or a million other things, but I just keep devouring the ears before I make anything else!