Midwestern Regional Cookery: Corn

Corn farming extends through most of the region. The Midwest’s productivity is rivaled only by the adjacent Great Plains. A nice ear of boiled or roasted corn, slathered with butter, minutes away from the field where it grew, is one of the great Midwestern culinary treats and is paid proper respect in regional culture. In season, corn is one of the most popular items offered at roadside stands, and a pickup truck parked by the side of the road, loaded with ears of corn for sale, is a common sight. A frequent component of family meals in season, corn is also the focus of corn roasts and corn boils held as community events by churches, service organizations, and fraternal orders. And it is no coincidence that the corn dog (popularized as the “cozydog” in Springfield, Illinois, in 1947) and cornflakes (by Kellogg’s in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1902) both originated in the Midwest, and that corncob jelly is a traditional specialty in Indiana.