Silver Princess corn rules!

[Fat Guy]

We're down in North Carolina on the Cape Fear coast, and when we go to drive around, every couple of miles we pass another person selling Silver Princess corn out of the back of a pickup truck. This stuff is awesome. It's complex, sweet, tender and, well, corny. I'm going to eat as much of it as I can this week, because I've never seen it for sale back up north.

[annecros]

Truck corn is always the bomb. You can even eat it raw without risking a tummy ache. It's not so much the variety, I have found. It is the fact that it is recently harvested.

The "Silvers" are almost too sweet for my tastes - (I am savory if nothing else) - I prefer something like Trucker's Favorite Yellow torn off the stalk. Water boiling while you shuck. The newer super sweets have a much longer shelf life, but the old fashioned just plain sweets have a nicer sweetness to them that unfortunately degrades within hours. It is sort of like the difference between real cane sugar and aspartame, if you will. But, those are my tastes. And there is a new variety out of Japan that beings with an "M" that I am sure I will be suckered into growing within a couple of years.

If you have access to boiling water, break up and blanch some cob corn and freeze quickly - if you have access to a freezer or some dry ice.

It will serve you well. You are in NC at a great time of year for produce. There should be some peaches around about now as well, keep your eyes peeled.

[ChefCarey]

We're down in North Carolina on the Cape Fear coast, and when we go to drive around, every couple of miles we pass another person selling Silver Princess corn out of the back of a pickup truck. This stuff is awesome. It's complex, sweet, tender and, well, corny. I'm going to eat as much of it as I can this week, because I've never seen it for sale back up north.

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I'm envious. I haven't had any *really* good corn since I grew Silver Queen in my garden back in the 70s.

[Ted Fairhead]

My wife also reminded me of the two years we lived just outside Annapolis and the Silver Queen corn and crab feasts we had. Sweet memories

Edited July 10, 2007 by Ted Fairhead (log)

[Ted Fairhead]

We're down in North Carolina on the Cape Fear coast, and when we go to drive around, every couple of miles we pass another person selling Silver Princess corn out of the back of a pickup truck. This stuff is awesome. It's complex, sweet, tender and, well, corny. I'm going to eat as much of it as I can this week, because I've never seen it for sale back up north.

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So true. We lived in the DC area for a number of years and "weekended" at Chincoteague MD. We couldn't wait for the "Silver Queen" to be available, it is so delicious. Many times we would start our long ride back to Falls Church VA a couple of hours early just to be able to catch the roadside stands while they were still open, and stock up for the coming week until we could drive down and get more. Ah! Freshly caught flounder and Silver Queen.

I am surprised that you can find Silver Queen (Princess?) corn in NC because we don't get it here in Eastern NC, except very occasionally, tarted up and wrapped in plastic at a premium price for three lousy ears in our so-called gourmet super-market.

[Fat Guy]

I had a brief chat with one of the corn ladies and she indicated that Silver Princess, Silver Queen and Silver King are three different varieties that come in at slightly different times, in that order. That's just what I heard by the side of the road.

[rlibkind]

And there is a new variety out of Japan that beings with an "M" that I am sure I will be suckered into growing within a couple of years.

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It's called Mirai. And a very nice corn it is. Very sweet, with cobs full of consistently sized kernels. Farmers near Philadelphia have been growing it for about three years. It can be had at the Reading Terminal Market in late July and well into August, though it's a tad more expensive.

[annecros]

And there is a new variety out of Japan that beings with an "M" that I am sure I will be suckered into growing within a couple of years.

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It's called Mirai. And a very nice corn it is. Very sweet, with cobs full of consistently sized kernels. Farmers near Philadelphia have been growing it for about three years. It can be had at the Reading Terminal Market in late July and well into August, though it's a tad more expensive.

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That's it. Thank you.

The seed can be had around and about though. Sounds like a late season, if I understand seasonality in your region. I am sure I will trial it sooner or later, but corn just takes up so much space! Even densely planted, the way I do it.

As far as Princess, Queen and King coming in with that order of precedence - it makes sense.

Silver King was always later than Silver Queen. Though, only by weeks.

Peaches and Cream is also lovely, if you can get the real thing, and not just generic "bicolor" corn.

[DTBarton]

My wife also reminded me of the two years we lived just outside Annapolis and the Silver Queen corn and crab feasts we had. Sweet memories

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I live just south of Annapolis and we have a local produce place that gets fresh silver queen from the Eastern shore every day in the season. Good stuff.

[mukki]

Does anyone know how Silver Queen compares to Bantam and Country Gentleman? Sweeter? I'm trying Bantam in my yard this year to try to recapture the great corn taste I can't find anymore.

[Jakea222]

I have a farmer family frined that when we go back home - I always get Peached and Cream corn from her. IT is the best I think in my opinion. Bringing it back to my kitchen and cookig it up my staff loved it very much too.

[annecros]

And there is a new variety out of Japan that beings with an "M" that I am sure I will be suckered into growing within a couple of years.

←

It's called Mirai. And a very nice corn it is. Very sweet, with cobs full of consistently sized kernels. Farmers near Philadelphia have been growing it for about three years. It can be had at the Reading Terminal Market in late July and well into August, though it's a tad more expensive.

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Finally got my hands on some of this, and it was supersweet. We creamed it. Hubby loved it, but I had to add salt to bring it up to my taste.

Does anyone know how Silver Queen compares to Bantam and Country Gentleman? Sweeter? I'm trying Bantam in my yard this year to try to recapture the great corn taste I can't find anymore.

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Bantam is "cornier" to me, if you will. I love Bantam, hope yours did well for you.

[CtznCane]

I am curious as to what kind of corn we will find in Western Kentucky and Tennessee? Though we're close enough to also go over into Missouri. I know from outwest I've found Brentwood Diamond to be my favorite. Looking forward to this coming corn season.

[kayb]

You'll find a lot of Silver Queen and a lot of Peaches and Cream. That's what I see most of when I go home for a weekend.