Some call it “corn-stick,” others go with “sweet pole,” but we like to call it amazing — especially when you use those cute plastic corn on the cob handles. National Corn on the Cob Day falls on June 11 — the perfect pre-summer date. (Although, for most home gardens, mid-June is still too early for the harvest.) But you can’t blame anyone for being in a hurry. The sweetness doesn’t hang around for very long. It has to be picked at its freshest, otherwise there’s a risk of — nothing really — it’s just slightly less incredible tasting.
Note: If you plan on doing the picking yourself, there’s a trick to spotting when the corn is ready. During the milk stage, the kernels are still soft, and this is nature’s way of saying “come and get it!” Boil it, steam it, roast it, or grill it — there’s no wrong or right method as long as it stays on that cob.
