Corn

Maïs

What it is

Nine thousand years ago, Mexican farmers began turning teosinte — a grass with a dozen hard seeds — into cobs of hundreds: the greatest plant-breeding feat in history. They planted it with beans and squash, the “three sisters” who feed each other.

In the kitchen

Sweetness starts fading the hour it is picked: cook fresh cobs the day you buy them, and scrape the milky pulp from spent cobs into soups.

Goes with

Butter Chili pepper Black pepper Cream Paprika Quinoa

Same species

Instant modified waxy maize starch Blue corn Cornstarch Dextrose Hominy (nixtamalised corn) Masa harina

Also used with

Amaranth American lobster Annatto Arracacha Asiago d'allevo Culinary lime (cal)

In season alongside

Halibut Hazelnut Marcona almond

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