The history of corn goes back 10,000 years to Mexico where farmers began

selecting, then cultivating, spiky wild grass called teosinte. Over the centuries, Indigenous Americans, through their extensive trade routes, brought corn to the Southwest and as far north as Maine. In addition to eating the tasty kernels, they utilized the dried cobs for fire kindling, the husks for making dolls, baskets, moccasins, and braided mats, and the stalks for bean poles and shaping into chairs. Indigenous people see corn as a mother, nourishing the people both physically and spiritually, and as their child requiring careful tending. After
harvest, their tradition is to lay the plants to rest much as they would a loved
one.
Colorado grows some of the best sweet corn in the United States. Olathe sweet
corn, in particular, is renowned, but 17 counties in Colorado have the hot
summer days and cool nights required to grow the best corn. A local, annual
Corn Festival takes place each harvest season at the Longmont Agricultural
Center featuring Indigenous foods, dancing, and locally grown produce.
Is it a vegetable or is it a grain? Eaten right off the cob, corn is a vegetable.
Dried and ground into meal, corn is a grain. Although sweet, corn is low
glycemic. It is a high source of potassium, which lowers blood pressure, and a
better source of antioxidants than oats, rice, or wheat. Corn is loaded with
soluble and insoluble fiber, an array of vitamins and minerals, and even some
protein.
With all this encouragement, grab some corn, husk it, and enjoy the feast! Try
out these recipes for flavor sensations.
Avara Yaron is a personal chef and caterer, food writer and novelist living in
Boulder. See evidence of her food wizardry on Instagram at AvaraCuisine and
contact her at avarayaron@gmail.com.
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