Encyclopedia Of Foods

274 Part II: Encyclopedia of Foodsgrains native to the Western Hemisphere,where it has been cultivated for centuries.In Europe, the word “corn” is the commonterm used to describe many cereal grains.However, after coming to the New World,Europeans began to use the word “maize”to refer to corn itself. The word “maize” isderived from the American Indian word“mahiz.” To this day, Europeans call corn“maize,” and Americans call it “corn.”Corn plants grow to a height of 6 to 10feet. The tall plants, with their long, droopingleaves, are a common sight throughoutthe U.S. Midwest, where most of theworld’s supply is grown. The plant producesears of corn that measure 6 to 12inches, and each ear has numerous long,slender threads called silk. Corn kernelscan be white, orange, red, purple, blue,black, or brown, according to the variety.Most of the corn grown today is a goldenyellow.Corn has a wide range of uses and,although less nutritious than many grains,it is extremely versatile and still a goodfood choice. Nutritionally speaking forhumans, corn provides a good source offiber, phosphorus, vitamin C, and thiamin.Numerous hybrid varieties of corn havebecome available in the past decades.Essentially, the advances in breeding havemade corn sweeter by converting its starchto sugar.Corn can be eaten in several ways. Itcan be served fresh and still on the cob.Canning or freezing can preserve freshkernels. Dried kernels can be roasted orpopped.Corn can be ground into coarse mealor flour that is made into cornbread,tortillas, pancakes, or waffles. Oil derivedfrom corn is used widely for cooking.Starch derived from corn is often used as athickening agent in gravies, soups, andother dishes. Tiny baby corn is popular inAsian dishes and is sold in cans or jars.Corn is also fermented and is the basis forbourbon and whiskey.The ever-popular cornflake cereal wasinvented by the Kellogg brothers of cerealfame in 1894. According to legend, theydiscovered the process of making cornflakesby accident when they passed corn kernelsthat had been left too long in cooking waterthrough rollers, resulting in flakes.Although corn is the fundamental foodplant of the United States, most of the cropis used for feeding animals or for manufacturingpurposes. Corn grown for thosepurposes is often referred to as “field” corn.Preparation TipsThe key to serving corn on the cob is tobuy the freshest possible. When the ear isplucked from the stalk, the natural sugarin it begins a gradual conversion to starch,which makes the corn less sweet and, therefore,less tasty. Look for husks around theear of corn that are green, plump, tightlywrapped, and free of any obvious insectinfestation. Before buying corn, peel backthe husk slightly to check for plump, pale,and moist-looking kernels. At home, thegreen husk and silk are usually removedbefore cooking. Traditionally, corn on thecob is cooked by placing ears in a pot ofboiling water for 4 to 7 minutes or in avegetable steamer for 4 to 6 minutes. Cornon the cob also can be cooked in amicrowave oven. To do so, wrap eachhusked ear in waxed paper and place on apaper towel. Cook on the highest powersetting for 3 to 5 minutes for one ear, 5 to7 minutes for two ears, and 9 to 12 minutesfor four ears. Corn on the cob can beroasted in its husk on the grill or in theoven. (The silk must first be removed, however,and the husk replaced after this isdone.) Before roasting, soak the ear in waterfor about 5 minutes. Then place the cornon the grill or in the oven. Cooking timesvary but range from 10 to 15 minutes on ahot grill or 20 to 30 minutes in an oven setat 350° Fahrenheit.Avoid corn that is sold in displaysexposed to direct sunlight or high temperaturesbecause heat speeds up the processof converting sugar to starch.Serving SuggestionsInstead of flavoring corn with butter or salt,try other seasonings. Pepper, herbs, orlemon juice complement corn’s flavorwithout adding unnecessary sodium, fat,or calories. Corn also mixes well with other