463: edible corn and, finally, tomatoes. also squash and beans.

I was so super hungry when I came home from work. I hunted around in the garden for something ready to harvest, steam and eat immediately.

I found corn.

I have grown corn before, and it always *seems* to do great, but then when we go to eat it, it's all funkytimes. This year I was determined to pick it at the right time, so I have been checking it each week. Last week I tried an ear and it was.... well, slim....and kind of ....ghostly. Supernaturally see- through. Totally unappetizing, not to mention unsubstantial. There was literally nothing there to sink my teeth into.

I have been watching the patch for the last week and the ears seemed to be suddenly plumping into corn-shape and corn-size!

Today was my day:

It looked like corn!

I scurried around grabbing some green beans and summer squashes. I didn't even intend to check the tomatoes because they have been so damn lazy this year, but the redness caught my eye! TOMATOES! FINALLY! Grab grab grab. Stuff into skirt-basket. I swear, tomato leaves could be made into an aphrodesiac, that scent! Rawr!

Pinch, basil.

Rummage in the kitchen. Oh good, we still have a vegetable steamer. When was the last time I used that?

Slice slice summer squash, toss in to steam. Throw in beans, untrimmed. Unwashed, for that matter.

Peel. The. Corn.

The-corn-that-I-grew! Looking good! Strings, get off of there.

Mmmmm, good compost day, yes.

Toss into the pot. Cover.

Now, you, tomatoes. Get in my MOUTH! Slicey slicey, choppity chop of the basil and oh yeah some feathery fennel. Grind-grind pepper and salt. Sprinkle.

Click:

Say hi, Zeus!

Veggies are tender, got on that plate you guys.

Yum, dinner time. Well, the first course anyways. The Oh-My-God-I-Am-So-Hungry-Food-Get-In-Me-Now course.

It was so yummy. The corn, it was edible! And not only that, sweet and delicious!

Say hi, Riley!

So, this just in: I totally grew corn. Now I just have to eat it all before it goes all freaky.

What are you growing?

I want to know!

Also, Hi! how are you?

xoxox

melissa

Comments

[Tiffany]

OMG. You are my gardening hero. You grew corn! Really pretty and delicious looking corn! Look at you, farmer-ing and stuff. Awesome.

[KathleenC]

Yay for fresh corn! I hear that straight off the stalk is sooooo good. I am not growing much of anything though... we get no sunlight down in our little hollar. I can barely manage hostas and impatiens.
I shall have to live vicariously though you.

[jess]

i had my first corn of the summer yesterday and also my first swim in the ocean. both were super-sweet, crunchy-salty and delicious. :)

dinner was grilled kebabs with eggplant and yellow squash and onions and peppers, the aforementioned corn, and a beet and goat cheese arugula salad. i only grew the yellow squash, but everything else came from my farmer friends/heroes at the market.

oh, summer. i love you so. (you too, m! xo)

[Toni]

My husband grew a bunch of string beans and then begged me to do something new with them. So I tried a new recipe from the paper for string beans stewed in a bunch of olive oil with an onion, garlic and herbs and chopped tomatoes (he grew those too!) until they were incredibly soft. Yum! We gobbled it up. Love those summer veggies!