This article is about sweet corn. Corn on the cob is a culinary term used for a cooked ear of freshly picked maize from a cultivar of sweet corn. Sweet corn is the most common variety boiling corn on the cob maize eaten directly off the cob.
Corn on the cob is normally eaten while still warm. It is often seasoned with salt and buttered before serving. Some diners use specialized skewers, thrust into the ends of the cob, to hold the ear while eating without touching the hot and sticky kernels. Within a day of corn being picked it starts converting sugar into starch, which results in reduction in the level of natural sweetness. The most common methods for cooking corn on the cob are frying, boiling, roasting, and grilling.
Corn on the cob can be grilled directly in its husk, or it can be shucked first and then wrapped in aluminum foil. When oven roasting, cooking the corn in the husk directly on the rack is recommended. Common condiments and seasonings for corn on the cob include butter, salt, and black pepper. In traditional etiquette, corn on the cob, like other finger foods, is problematic. Lillian Eichler Watson, in a 1921 etiquette book, described corn on the cob as “without a doubt one of the most difficult foods to eat gracefully. Some etiquette books recommend salting and buttering the corn a section at a time just before eating that section, which helps to minimize the mess on the diner’s face and hands.
