July · San Diego
Sweet corn
Corn sugars convert to starch quickly after picking. July corn eaten within a day or two of harvest is a different ingredient from corn that has traveled for a week. Grocery stores turn over fast in summer — the corn on the shelf right now is likely good.
How to choose it
- Husk tightly wrapped and bright green
- Silk slightly dry at the top, not slimy
- Plump kernels felt through the husk
- Avoid any ears with dried-out or blackened husks
Buy this much: 2–3 ears for one person mid-week, another 1–2 for the weekend
One of the least expensive vegetables of summer. Widely available at any grocery store in July and often on sale.
During the week
- Cut off the cob into a rice bowl
- Added to taco bowls with beans and tomato
- Quick corn and tomato salad with basil
On a weekend
Corn salad alongside grilled chicken thighs and peaches.
One thing worth learning
Fresh corn is good raw. Shaved directly off the cob into a salad, it has a sweetness that disappears quickly with heat.