San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-30
When Corn Is King
By Mrs. Christine Frederick,
The Disdng mshed Authority on Household Efficiency.


TT Is to the Indian or red man
that we owe several of our most
important foods. 1t is from this
100 per cent American that we
have been handed down the squash
and the pumpkin, the cranberry,
the wild turkey, and, in particular,
corn. This cereal plant or grain,
now so all-important in the stock
markets and food centers of the en-
tire world, was originally a wild
grass growing on the plateaus of
what are now New Mexico and Ari-
iona. The Indian gradually cult
waited it and surrounded it with
sacred rites and even sacrifice. He
learned to store the harvest in clay
pits, and went so far as to make
corn a money basis of exchange.
By improving the quality of the
kernel or seed he developed his
own staple food supply and also
provided us with an all-important
grain and vegetable food.
For few foods can be eaten in so
many forms or are capable of so
many culinary uses. From plain
boiled on the cob to the various
buildings, fritters, chowders, ETC.,
it is a wholesome Summer food of
low cost and great nutriment.
Of course, every housewife
knows that corn is a starchy food
similar to potatoes or rice. There
fore she can substitute corn in any
menu where she usually serves the
others, but she should never serve
both. For corn is a heating food,
and if eaten with butter, as it usu-
ally is, is also fattening. Put if
used in place of other foods, as 1t
should be, it will be a hearty meal
in itself.
Beginning with plain boiled corn
on the cob, the correct method
after removing the silk and any dis
colored portions, is to have water
rapidly boiling and then lay in the
ears. If the water is really at
the boiling Point it will require
only from 7 to II minutes to suffi-
GENTLY cook the starch of the
grains. Do not ado salt to the
cooking water, as this shrivels and
toughens them. However, one may
add a tablespoon of sugar to the
water, which will increase the nat
ural sweet taste.
1t may be said that corn is the
one vegetable that should be eaten
as soon as possible after picking,
because the starch qualities actual
~ change and become less sweet
and juicy after the ear is removed
from the stalk.
In making all dishes in which the
corn pulp is to be used, the best
method is to cut across the ker-
nels with a sharp knife, and then
scrape the cob down with the blunt
side of the knife in order to ex-
press all the milk without getting
the scaly or fibrous portions.
There are on the market several
special corn knives" one of which
is made with a series of sharp
points in the blade which rip the
kernels as the knife is passed across
them. Another is a combination
fork-knife, which has one sharp
side and three tines, so that one
may cut the kernels and then lift
them up on the fork.
Because of its starchy character
and somewhat flat taste corn com
bines excellently with more flavor
full foods, particularly tomatoes,
green peppers, cheese and the
smoked meats, such as ham, bacon
or tongue, whose salty cured quail
ity gives extra tang. \ small por-
ton of leftover ham, o. a few
strips of bacon can always be count
ed upon in any corn dish to give
more flavor than the usual butter.
A blending of corn, crumbs ana
minced ham is an excellent stuff
ing for whole peppers or tomato
cups in which the pulp is first re-
moved and filled with this stuffing,
and then baked about half hour
in a moderate oven.
Corn also lends itself particular
ly we'll to the large group of frit-
tiers, corn oysters and similar bat.
ter mixtures. For use here only
the very top part of the kernels
should be used, because if any Of
the coarse, scaly portions are in
cluded the pleasure in eating will
be spoiled, For a cool morning
breakfast or lunch for hungry peo-
pie an appetiLing platter of corn
fritters cannot be beaten.
That is why corn is one of the
best of camp foods, or one that
the motor camper should always
take along Cooked over an open
fire, even on the cob, it is an out
door dplio 1t that no restaurant can