Make most of this year's bountiful corn crop
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Plentiful, plentiful, plentiful. That's how local farmer Fred Block described this year's sweet corn crop at Block's Stand and Greenhouse in Romulus. Ample rain has been good for this year's crop, and Block said the number of wagons of corn he's bringing to market is setting records.
When you buy two bags of corn at Block's (as many ears as you can stuff into the bag), you get one bag free. The market, at 29160 Eureka in Romulus, is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
At the Long Family Orchard and Farm,1540 E. Commerce Road in Commerce Township, you can pick up corn at a drive-through, according to a recorded message at the farm. The farm's sweet corn, according to its website, is non-GMO. Get updates on availability at longsorchard.com or call 248-360-3774.
Once you get your Michigan sweet corn, here are a few of our favorite ways to cook it.
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Cooler corn
That same cooler that keeps beer, pop and foods cold can keep things hot, too. Cooking corn in a cooler is quick and easy. Here’s how:
Clean your cooler, making sure you wash and rinse it out well.
Make sure you have a lid.
Shuck the corn and place it in the cooler. You can line them up in a single or double row — depending on the size of your cooler.
Boil some water — enough to completely cover the ears by an inch or more.
Cover with the lid. Let sit for at least 30-45 minutes or until the corn is cooked. If you like, you can throw in a stick of butter, too.
Silk-free ears
Hate the silk and in a hurry? Try this microwave trick.
Leave the corn in the husk but remove as much of the silk as you can. I use scissors to trim it away.
Place the corn on a microwave-safe plate or dish. Figure microwaving each ear about 3-5 minutes on high, depending on the size of the ear.
Remove corn from microwave. It will be hot so use oven mitts or a towel.
Place corn on a work surface and cut about half an inch off the larger end.
Holding the silk end, squeeze or twist the husk so the ear of corn slips out. The silk stays in the husk.
Storing corn
Store freshly picked corn in a bag in the refrigerator and use it within a few days. Do not remove the husk.
Corn freezes beautifully. Cut the kernels from the cob and place them in a freezer-quality bag in the freezer. There's no need to blanch the corn. You can also freeze cooked corn.
You can also freeze whole cobs of corn. Remove the husk and silk and blanch in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Pat corn dry and place in a freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
To easily cut corn from the cob, break the ear in half. Stand the ear on the cut side and slice kernels from top to bottom. It's easier to work with two smaller pieces than a whole ear.
Get ready for tomato season
Looking for ways to use juicy homegrown tomatoes? An upcoming workshop at Frame in Hazel Park is just the ticket.
Frame's Boozy Tomato Bootcamp will feature Lindsay-Jean Hard, a local food writer and cookbook author, and Make Food Not Waste, a Detroit-based upcycling kitchen that looks to keep food out of landfills. It will cover everything from how to make salsa and Bloody Marys to ways to promote sustainability and preserve homegrown tomatoes.
Hard is the author of "Cooking with Scraps" and the upcoming "Zingerman’s Bakehouse, Celebrate Every Day"(Chronicle Books).
The workshop is at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16. Cost is $85 per person plus tax and service fee at framehazelpark.com.
Royal Oak Farmers Market Chutney Festival
Royal Oak Farmers Market will be celebrating South Asian and West Indian cuisine at Thursday's Chutney Festival.
The event will showcase spices and flavors from the two regions as well as offerings from several of Michigan's South Asian restaurants, including Chutney Cat & Nu Deli. Expect spicy samosas, biryanis, sweet treats and beverages. Henna artists and entertainment are also in the mix.
The festival takes place 5-9 p.m. at the market at 316 E. Eleven Mile in Royal Oak. General admission is $5. A $35 VIP ticket offers complimentary food samples and early entry at 4 p.m. For tickets: eventbrite.com.
Lunch and Fiesta Hour at MEX
The recently remodeled Mex in Bloomfield Township has a fresh new look, and it's now serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Menu highlights include a smothered burrito, a selection of tacos, tuna crudo and grains and greens bowls. Mex also introduced a Fiesta Hour that runs 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4-9 p.m. Sunday. On the Fiesta Hour menu are chips and salsa, elote, a selection of single tacos and a variety of margaritas.
Mex is at 6675 Telegraph Road. Its website is mexbloomfield.com.
Wright & Company launches new items
Downtown Detroit's Wright & Company has several new menu items that feature summer fruits and vegetables. Curated by chef Kyle Schutte, the menu now includes an artisanal cheese board; a summer greens salad; a tartare that includes peaches, and broccolini with fish sauce, caramelized beer, coriander-cured egg yolks and a tart cherry powder.
Wright & Company is on the second floor at 1500 Woodward at the corner of John R.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Make most of this year's bountiful corn crop
