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Market Watch: Cornucopia

Posted in FOOD & DRINK to Local Bites by Alisa DeMarco on Friday, August 1, 2008 at 9:00 am

corny.JPG

Urbana’s Sweet Corn Festival isn’t for another three weeks but that doesn’t mean we can’t start celebrating. We don’t grow much sweet corn here in Illinois; as a matter of fact, of the millions of acres of corn planted on all four sides of Champaign-Urbana, and across the state, only a fraction is suitable for human consumption. So eat all the local corn you can this summer, as it is a precious commodity. If you’ve never picked up corn from Market at the Square, the Schottman brothers in Effingham or the Kleiss farm in Tuscola grow perfect ears.

Corn has so many applications; the possibilities are endless. Even corn on the cob can be versatile. Aside from the obligatory butter, try adding a dash of cayenne or Tabasco sauce to your cob for a little heat. A squirt of lime and chopped cilantro give a south-of-the-border flair. Sprinkle your cob with grated parmesan, and although, I’m not sure you could call it Italian; the addition is really good. Cut the fresh kernels off the ear and add to a blazing hot cast iron skillet for a smoky charred salsa or an interesting topping for your summer salads and pastas. Simply grilled, corn unveils its finest attributes. The husks protect the corn from getting dried out, and the corn essentially steams in its own moisture.

Now, for a cooking method every central Illinois corn-fed resident should know:

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Ideally, corn should be cooked as soon as possible after it has been picked because its sugar content quickly turns to starch. Yet another reason to support your local grower.

Prepare your grill — gas or charcoal — with direct, high heat. Carefully pull back husks from corn, leaving attached and intact. Remove silks from corn and replace husks. Soak corn in a big bowl or pot of cold water for 10 minutes.

Place the corn in their husks on the hot grill. Cover. Turn the corn occasionally, until the husks are charred on all sides, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove corn from grill. Let sit for five minutes.

Use a hand towel to protect your hands while removing the charred husks from the corn. Serve hot, with butter or aforementioned suggestions.

Market at the Square runs every Saturday from 7a.m.-noon, rain or shine now through Nov. 8. The farmer’s market is located in the parking lot of Urbana Square Mall on the corners of Vine and Illinois streets.

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Pamela - Are the roasteries in Seattle as clean as CSR?  It always disturbs me a little that it is so clean in there.

Posted by Brian to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/06/12.
Mike Ingram avatar

Love CSR.  Apart from making my way through the regular roasts in 1/2 pound increments, I also like to pick up some of the little sample packets of the flavored stuff for when the lady and I feel like getting crazy.  Sticky Bun is pretty nice.

Posted by Mike Ingram to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/04/12.
{username}

HUUUUUUGE fan of their Black Velvet roast…It makes up about 75% of my coffee intake. LOL CSR is definitely one of those Champaign institutions that I brag about to people not from here. :-)

Posted by Mertz to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/03/12.
{username}

We like CSR too! We french press at home and I leave the lid off while it steeps—letting the ground beans bloom. Then, like in your tasting, I scoop off the top layer before pressing. We really need to invest in a burr grinder though, as I…

Posted by Kirstin to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/03/12.
{username}

I had their tea at the Urbana Farmer’s Market when they first started out and it was great! Their tins recently caught my eye at Walnut Street Tea Company and my guests used it all up before I could even try it! Way to go Tiesta, stay…

Posted by LH to the entry 'Tiesta Tea: A local success story on 02/02/12.
{username}

Im fine with missing ingredients and of course they fixed things what restaurant fights with the customer over things like that anymore. ( the way social media could affect them) My problem is that I am visiting you place of business within the first week of opening.…

Posted by C-U Later to the entry 'Meatheads Burgers and Fries: A carnivorous delight on 02/02/12.
{username}

The second visit to Meatheads included what tasted like a stale bun. That’s the end of going to Meatheads for a while.

Posted by Q-Tips to the entry 'Meatheads Burgers and Fries: A carnivorous delight on 02/01/12.
Mike Ingram avatar

That seems like an odd experience to me.  Basically everything you mentioned, apart from price, is contrary to what I’ve witnessed or heard about.  You ate at the restaurant and the burger was cold?  Seems more like the complaint of someone who took something home.  And if…

Posted by Mike Ingram to the entry 'Meatheads Burgers and Fries: A carnivorous delight on 01/31/12.
{username}

Unfortunately i did not have the same experiences that some of you may have had. I went to meatheads the 2nd or 3rd night it was open and I was very disappointed. My burger was cold and soggy. I ordered one of their specialty burgers. A spicy…

Posted by C-U Later to the entry 'Meatheads Burgers and Fries: A carnivorous delight on 01/31/12.
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FACT: Silverfish feed only on carbohydrates, such as starches and sugars.  They will not consume proteins or fats (the main materials from which human beings are constructed). THUS: That was not actually a human waiter we were conversing with, but rather a lifelike simulacrum created from semi-digested Fruit Loops.

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By Q-Tips to the entry 'Politics play in Illini loss to Northwestern on 02/06/12.
{username}

Pamela - Are the roasteries in Seattle as clean as CSR?  It always disturbs me a little that it is so clean in there.

By Brian to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/06/12.
JPSherrill avatar

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Mike Ingram avatar

Love CSR.  Apart from making my way through the regular roasts in 1/2 pound increments, I also like to pick up some of the little sample packets of the flavored stuff for when the lady and I feel like getting crazy.  Sticky Bun is pretty nice.

By Mike Ingram to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/04/12.
Rob McColley avatar

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By Rob McColley to the entry 'More C-U restaurants come and go on 02/03/12.
{username}

HUUUUUUGE fan of their Black Velvet roast…It makes up about 75% of my coffee intake. LOL CSR is definitely one of those Champaign institutions that I brag about to people not from here. :-)

By Mertz to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/03/12.
{username}

We like CSR too! We french press at home and I leave the lid off while it steeps—letting the ground beans bloom. Then, like in your tasting, I scoop off the top layer before pressing. We really need to invest in a burr grinder though, as I…

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{username}

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