Summer in North America is the season for eating corn on the cob, and has been for much of recorded history. The Iroquois gave the first sweet corn to European settlers in 1779 and it very quickly grew to be a popular food in the southern and central regions of the United States. For those of us who have been waiting all summer to get our hands on sweet corn, there is good news! Sweet corn season has arrived! The Minnesota Grown Directory boasts more than 75 producers of this tasty crop, and it can be found at nearly all of Minnesota Grown's 176 farmers markets.

  

Did you know that corn has cultivated by humans for about 4,000 years? Isn't that a-maize-ing?! (Get it? - now that's a corny joke!) Also referred to as maize, and originally domesticated in Mexico, the United States is now the top producer of corn worldwide. Sweet corn, however, has only been grown commercially for a little over 200 years. In fact, it wasn't until the early 20th century that a yellow variety of sweet corn was developed. Fortunately, you can now find it easily in white, yellow, or bi-color (yellow and white kernels). The sweet corn we know today is even sweeter and more tender than the original varieties thanks to experts in plant breeding.

There's nothing like that first bite of Minnesota Grown sweet corn on a hot summer night, and that is in no small part due to the fact that it is local! When it's in season, Minnesota farmers pick sweet corn every day, starting early in the morning when the weather is cool because the warm temperatures can speed the change of sugar to starch. In fact, fresh corn on the cob will lose up to 40% of its sugar content within 6 hours of picking. It will even gradually lose sugar content while refrigerated! This is one of the reasons why buying fresh, local sweet corn will ensure it tastes better than anything shipped from far away.

When selecting your sweet corn, look for ears with brown, dried silk on the ends. You can even peel the husk back slightly in order to check for plump kernels.

  

Sweet corn can be prepared in a variety of ways. Although it is most commonly eaten off the cob, the kernels may also be removed and added to salads, casseroles, soups, pastas, and more. In order to remove the kernels from the cob, simply run a knife down the side of the ear. You can do this either before or after you have cooked the corn.

  

Sweet corn can be boiled, grilled, or even microwaved! If you are boiling, it is important to remove the husk and all the silk. Rinse the ears before dropping them into boiling water for 5-8 minutes. Butter is a delicious topping to boiled sweet corn, however adding it to the boiling water can result in tough corn! Sweet corn can also be microwaved for 1-2 minutes and carefully removed.

  

There are also several methods to grilling sweet corn. Feelings run strong among grilled-corn aficionados about whether or not you should husk the corn before roasting. Some prefer the "fire" flavor that comes from grilling shucked corn, while others counter that grilling in the husk keeps the kernels moist and tender. Most recipes, however, call for leaving the husks and silk on the ears, soaking them for 15 minutes to 2 hours, and then grilling them 10-20 minutes. You can also try peeling back the husks and silk, coating the kernels with butter and seasoning, and then pulling the husks back over the corn before grilling. YUM! For more ways to prepare your sweet corn, look to the recipes in this Pick of the Month, or the Minnesota Grown Pinterest page!

Unfortunately, sweet corn is a fairly perishable vegetable, so it is important to care for it properly. If you do not plan to use it immediately, leave the husk intact and store it in your refrigerator. Do not keep in a plastic bag or an airtight container, and prepare it within 5-7 days after picking for the freshest taste!

Now is the best time to stock up on sweet corn, as it is easy to freeze and will keep its "fresh from the cob" taste for up to 12 months. When freezing, it is best to use a vacuum sealer or freezer safe plastic bag. Boil the corn for 8-10 minutes, then quickly cool the cobs by placing them in very cold/ice water. To freeze the corn on the cob, simply place them into your freezer safe bags and seal. Otherwise, you can remove the kernels, separate them into serving size portions and seal them in your freezer safe bags. Always label and date your items!

Throughout the year, few moments are as satisfying as that first bite of a really good summer tomato, one of summer's greatest achievements. With the month of August comes the peak season for a variety of produce, not the least being tomatoes. The arrival of great tomatoes also signals the arrival of something else - the official arrival of summer eating. Defined by a nearly overwhelming abundance of fresh produce, it is easy to see that the season of summer eating is in full swing across our state. There are more than 90 tomato producers in the Minnesota Grown Directory, and 176 farmers markets. Find your nearest producer here!
First things first, let's settle this age old debate about whether the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. The tomato is the edible, often red fruit of the tomato plant. In fact, it is classified as a berry! The tomato originated in the South American Andes (Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador) and was first cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 AD. Its use as a food originated in Mexico and spread throughout the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Believe it or not, the tomato wasn't even incorporated into the local cuisine of Italy until the late 17th or early 18th century! Early tomatoes were often small, and of the yellow variety. Many cultures even referred to tomatoes as "golden apples", suggesting they were most often eaten raw, like an apple!

Tomato production in the United States really took off in the 1920's when a young entrepreneur named Joseph Campbell found a market for canned tomato products, and went on to make millions with his soup company. Today, the top five tomato producing countries of the world are the United States, China, Turkey, Italy and India, in that order. Within the US, Florida, California and Georgia claim the prize for top production with about 200 square miles in cultivation! But we don't just produce tomatoes commercially. They are also popular among home gardeners, and they are grown in an estimated 35 million backyards nation wide!
It is easy to see that after only a few hundred years in European culture, the tomato has quickly and firmly implanted itself as a staple in the diets of many nationalities. Italian cooking has become synonymous with tomato sauce. Pizza would be lost without it. Where would a Mexican restaurant be without salsa? Tomato soup, slices on a burger and ketchup are all important uses of the fruit in the American culture. So tomāto or tomäto? Fruit or vegetable? We love them so much, it hardly matters! Find your local tomato producer or farmers market in our online Directory, and enjoy the sweet taste of summer!