We Called it Maize, I Called it an Educational Commentary
For the first time ever, I am boldly going where no keyboard has walked. So I do a lousy William Shatner impression. I never claimed to be. In all sincerity, I had a driving urge to present a brief-but-educational commentary concerning Corn and the Many Things that corn is possible for. Some of these things and items may cause you to relive a childhood memory that (hopefully) this piece generated. Thank you, Kenneth.
As I was Saying_______________________
in the paragraph above the photo of Yellow Corn, everyone I know is familiar with corn. Corn has been a staple in the USA prior to Columbus and the Pilgrims. "Maize" was what our fore fathers called corn by the Indians. Why corn, I could never figure.
Corn was the "Bridge to Peace" among the Pilgrims and Indians who formed friendships and very valuable allies. The Indians, God bless them, saved the Pilgrims who did not one thing about agriculture from the planting to the plowing. This is where I need you to pat every Indian in America on the back for saving some needy-souls. If you had any ancestors among the Pilgrims that the Indians saved, please enjoy a prideful moment.
Corn is a great source for carbohydrates and natural sugars. I can say with a clear conscience, that if it weren't for my sainted mother, I would have never started eating vegetables. True. I hated veggies from the "V" to the "S." But if she prepared a meat item for a meal, I loved it. Meat loaf, a rare treat, was my favorite. But put the green beans on the table and I suddenly had to run outside to find something. ( I wasn't a prolific excuse writer as a kid).
Speaking of corn's multiple uses, here is a great recipe for Corn Cob Jelly:
1.) Cut corn kernels from cobs and reserve for another recipe.
2.) In a stockpot, place corncobs and water; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Discard cobs; strain liquid through cheesecloth. Liquid should measure 3 cups....
3.) Return to stockpot and stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil.
Introducing The Corn Cob
I am so happy to have found so many different ways to enjoy corn. I remember when I was five when my sainted mother would give me yellow corn for lunch. She would cut off the kernels into an iron skillet and with a little water and a pat or two of margarine, lunch was ready. And I can tell you the truth. I did not like eating vegetables. But my mom tricked me into eating corn by calling it Natural Sugar and knowing my love for sweets, I dove into the corn and never turned back. She told me that the white corn was White Sugar Additive. I was no expert, but I knew what was good.
Along with Corn Cob Jelly, Yellow and White Corn, there were and are people who use real corn cobs for a pipe for using tobacco. No joke. I don't use it, but I found out in my Corn Research that Corn Cob Pipes and Straw Hats were the True Wardrobe for Hillbillies. The Corn Hole Game started me wondering if ever should look into a game such as this.
Then came "Kornfield Kounty" on CBSs "Hee Haw," the show that critics said would not last one day--and stayed on the air 20 years. So much for critics and "korny" jokes, huh? I was going to bring up people used to be called "corn fed," but what was too callused. Not from doing manual labor, but getting corn from the cob.
© 2018 Kenneth Avery
Comments
AUTHORDear sallybea -- your comments were purely amazing. And after this old rural heart. I have had the blessing of playing in tall corn, but at
early dusk when all you might see was the ground between the rows, the Middle, so I would run and then stop. I would try to hear those who were chasing me and it was easy sometimes because I could hear them thrashing against the corn leaves.
Good times. Thank you, sally.
Write me anytime.
- AUTHOR
Hey, Louise -- yes. A lot of early and modern hill people, which is NOT a slur on them, but a compliment, used corn cobs to make pipes. I knew of an older man who was never seen without his pipe. I have always wondered if he slept with it, but I was young and didn't have the nerve.
May it was better that way.
Write me anytime.
- AUTHOR
Hi, Venkatachari M -- when you said that you ate the corn with a sprinkle of salt, you had my attention. Corn is a very universal food and no matter where you travel, somehow, people know about corn or somewhere to buy it.
God is good.
Have a peaceful day and write anytime.
- AUTHOR
Hi, Kathy-- thank you for your very sweet comment. I want to do what I can to touch all that I can before it's my time to go. I know that this sounds dark and cold, but it's not.
HubPages is The Place for the sharing of the soul and real life in text both rhyming and abstract.
I hope that I get to talk to you soon.
- AUTHOR
Hi, MizBejabbers -- thank you so very much for the wisdom about corn, which happens to be one of my top five favorite vegetables. Yes, I have, on occasion, had it raw and good isn't the word. Delicious is close.
Oh, I cannot wait until it's produce harvesting time here where I live and I can buy some fresh corn in three of our outlets.
Thanks and I appreciate this.
Write me anytime.
My daddy made me a corncob pipe once. I stuffed it full of rabbit tobacco and burned my mouth on it. I asked him if he would smoke it, and he said "no." We had a beagle dog that would strip an ear of corn off the stalk, rip the husks off and eat it right off the cob. No joke!
My favorite way to fix corn on the cob today is microwaved because it retains the flavor better than boiling. You microwave it with the husks or shucks on. One day in the lunch room at work I was holding an ear of corn in my hand while waiting my turn at the microwave. A coworker asked if I was going to eat that corn raw. I told her no, I was going to microwave it. She'd never heard of that, so I showed her how. A few days later she came in telling me how good her corn tasted microwaved.
Corn Husk Jelly. Something new to me. There truly was a period when we wasted nothing. Thanks for being a prolific writer. I am enjoying reading.
Very interesting facts of Corn. I loved corn as a child, baking them even when fully not ripe. It's sweet corn baked with a sprinkle of salt. Very tasty.
I've never seen a corn cob pipe before! How interesting.
Growing up I recall picking lovely green covered corn with dangling threads hanging from their top. The more mature the darker the threads which is how we knew whether or not if it were ready to be plucked from the stems. I never favored eating it on the barbeque but some people did all burnt and brown. I loved it all hot and buttery and of course always eaten with my fingers. My siblings and I loved to run up and down the rows between the 'mealies' for you see that what we called it. It was almost never known as corn by the locals and as you say the white maize was definitely the sweeter.
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