Corn is the subject of quite a bit of controversy, of late.  Though we’ve long enjoyed this vegetable in a culinary sense, we’ve recently discovered we can make fuel from it, as well.  This is both a blessing and a curse to Zea mays. 

A staple in a number of diets, corn has been used to sustain Native American populations, been ground into flour for the ubiquitous Mexican tortilla, and been eaten off the cob by any  number of barbecuing Americans.  Unfortunately, in my opinion, we’ve started using this food crop to create ethanol fuel, making it more expensive to feed hungry mouths.  Some prominent researchers, most notably (at least to me, as I saw him lecture at my alma mater) David Pimentel, also claim that not only is ethanol not going to solve our fuel crisis, it’s going to exacerbate it.   

If we look at the entire process of growing corn:  shipping seeds, applying petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides, operating tractors to harvest the crop, and processing and shipping said crop all across the country, we actually end up in the hole, using 1.2 gallons of crude oil to make only 1 gallon of ethanol.  Then there’s the added ethical issue of using food crops to produce fuel – US demand for Mexican corn has driven prices up so much that it’s no longer very economical for families to make their own tortillas any longer.  Because of this “corn crunch,” the US government is now considering taking millions of acres of land out of Conservation Reserve Easement Programs (much of this land is vital migratory bird habitat) and using it for corn production instead.  

Most likely, corn was first cultivated in Mexico, and it’s now the most widely grown crop in the Americas.  Growing up in Pennsylvania, it was common to see fields of the stuff growing alongside country lanes and highways alike.  Though we aimed for corn to be “knee high by the Fourth of July,” some corn can reach 10 feet tall, making it ideal for creating maize mazes around Halloween time.  We commonly consume sweet corn, which may be yellow, white, or any variation thereof.  Most of the corn grown in the US, however, is “feed corn,” which doesn’t taste very good, and is generally given to livestock.

Corn is high in protein, fiber, and carbohydrates, as well as being easy to prepare – a sign at our family’s roadside stand gave instructions for cooking, and merely said “Boil in water for about five minutes.”  It’s really that easy.  Though corn may be the center of quite a few difficult ecological, economic, and social problems right now, it’s still thankfully simple to enjoy.  The recipe I’ve included below can be eaten as a salad, used to top nachos, or included in tacos or fajitas.  Enjoy your corn – while you can still afford to, and consider driving less so that more people can do the same.

Corn, Bean, and Cilantro Salad

6 ears of cooked sweet corn, kernels removed
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ a large sweet onion, diced
2 ripe tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, minced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, chill for one hour.  Serve.

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