White or Yellow?

[sandylc]

What is everyone's preference for "sweet" corn? I grew up on white and still think it's great; sweet and tender. I have read that the northern half of the country likes yellow and the southern half likes white -

So, US CHers, north or south, white or yellow?

[kseiverd]

Like little kernels of Silver Queen, but anything that is TRULY fresh AND local works. Several years ago, former neighbor had an exchange student from Italy for the summer. Really sweet girl who was up for anything we Americans threw at her. After she arrived, neighbor's threw a big bbq... American style... burgers, dogs, chicken, potato/macaroni salad, and corn on the cob. When the corn came out... all steaming hot and ready for butter, S&P... she looked at us like we had THREE HEADS!! Seems in her part of Italy... corn on cobs was ONLY to feed animals. Took a few seconds before she dug right in with the rest of us... butter running down to elbows.

[EWSflash]

Both, either/or, or bicolor. It's all good.

[alex348]

The real issue for me is how does one go to a grocery, if that's where you must buy your corn, and only buy it if it is sweet? A friend taught me this some years ago. Buy one ear, shuck it and eat a bite raw. If it tastes sweet and is good, pick up some more. Otherwise buy the one ear you have alread tried. Noone likes to get home and serve their family loosy corn. That is the only way to tell how much time it took to get from the corn stalk to the table.

[EWSflash]

That's a good idea.

[Leepa]

White. Have lived in the South for the last five decades.

[viperlush]

Born and raised in NJ and it was whatever the farmstand is selling that day. I think I prefer white, but I usually eat bi colour.

My NJ raised 3 yr nephew will only eat yellow kernels.

[sandylc]

Cute! Does he pick the yellow ones out of the bicolor?

[viperlush]

Yes, luckily he loves corn so he was willing to take the time to pick out the yellow ones. Even grandpa couldn't convince him to eat the white. As a supportive aunt I just passed the butter and watched.

[sandylc]

Remember these moments to tell to his first girlfriend!

[raytamsgv]

Color isn't so much a factor a factor for me. I personally like se corn because they are sweet but still have a corn flavor.. The su varieties are ok but you really need to get them at the right time. The sh-2 varieties are way too sweet for me--not enough of a corn flavor.

[sandylc]

O.K., you've got me here. Can you explain the se/su/sh-2 for me? Thanks!

[raytamsgv]

They refer to the genetics of the corn. Once you harvest corn, the sugars begin their conversion to starch regardless of the variety. But if you start off with more sugar, the corn will last longer because it will take longer to finish the conversion to starch.

The su varieties are the traditional sweet corn varieties that a moderate amount of sugar and starch. You really should eat these as soon as possible after harvest. Silver Queen is a popular su variety.

The se varieties are "sugar-enhanced". They start off with a higher ratio of sugar to starch, so even when the sugar starts converting to starch, they will still be sweet. Bodacious and Kandy Korn are two examples.

The sh-2 varieties start with an even higher ratio of sugar to starch, so they are extremely sweet. They last even longer after harvest than the se varieties because they have so much sugar. I think most of what they sell in supermarkets is sh-2 because they have such a long shelf-life. I don't really like them.

I've grown se and su varieties in my garden. The su ones weren't bad, but it was difficult for me to harvest them at the right time. The se ones were a bit more forgiving because of their higher initial sugar levels.

[DougRisk]

Same as Sandy, I would like to know more about the su, sh stuff.

[raytamsgv]

Here's some more info:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/90-126.htm
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hi...

The Introduction sections of both sites is good enough for most consumers. The rest are mainly for growers and gardeners.

There are different colors available for all su, se, and sh-2 varieties.

[sandylc]

Really interesting! Thank you.

[DougRisk]

Thank you.

[Kris in Beijing]

Raised in Appalachian NC.
We bought by "brand"
Silver Queen,
Trucker's Choice,
or whatever had the freshest silks.

[juliejulez]

Here in CO we have the bi-color that's pretty good. Best corn ever though is from my home area in central CA, it's sweet white corn, sold at the Fresno State farm market. It's probably so good since the students grow it right there. It's seriously so good and the first few days it's available, you have to get there right at opening time otherwise they run out.

[FrankJBN]

In NJ, I prefer either or. I'm not looking at the corn (especially), it's not the color of my kitchen walls, I'm eating it. One week, the yellow corn is on like a light, the next white, the next mixed.

[WhatsEatingYou]

I like Bicolor...grew up in Ohio so fitting that I like combo of North and South!

[wyogal]

Yep, bi-color for me, too.

[jujuthomas]

i grew up in upstate NY, prefer bicolor. DH is from DE, prefers silver queen when we can find it, or white.

[Clams047]

Neither - As long as I can remember, the bicolored (butter & sugar, honey & cream or sugar & gold) tend to be far superior to yellow or white. Here in NE, it's actually difficult to find anything but the bicolored. The best, of course, is cooked within hours (minutes?) of being picked.

[tcamp]

I like the bicolored too and buy it whenever possible. But white corn, generally silver queen, is the standard for sweet corn here (mid-Atlantic). Agree with MGZ that freshest is best, no matter the color.

[LauraGrace]

I was going to say the same: bicolored corn is my favorite, and what I grew up on in Colorado.

[CanadaGirl]

It's tough to find anything other than bi-coloured in Nova Scotia either. It's yummy though.

[MGZ]

Silver Queen is considered the "best" corn in NJ. It's a hybrid with white kernels. Personally, in August and September, I'll take whichever corn is most recently picked as that is a far better indicator of sweetness for our local corn than the color of the kernels.

[Delucacheesemonger]

tru dat. In addition, white and North.

[PattiCakes]

That's a big 10-4 on the Silver Queen, MGZ, although I'm with you on fresh fresh fresh over color.

[centralpadiner]

Silver Queen fan here too, all my life. I'm (obviously) in Central PA, but always got the best on Summer vacations on the DelMarVa peninsula - MD's Eastern Shore.... total sacrilege for a Lancaster Co. girl to admit, but it is what it is. Maybe we were just more likely to get "picked that morning" corn there, but I'm pretty sure I always buy "picked that morning" corn, generally along the side of the road somewhere.

[RosePearl]

I think corn should be yellow, but I wouldn't turn down an ear of white. When I make cornbread, I use the yellow cornmeal, out of habit, I suppose, as I grew up in Orange county, California.

[carolinadawg]

South, white.