Stand By Your Stand: Alsum's Sweet Corn
This week's featured farmers'-market stall
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Bored of aimless browsing at Madison's popular farmers markets? In Stand By Your Stand, The A.V. Club heads out to find their best and strangest offerings, and tips on how to use them.
The source: Randolph, Wis.
Wares: Corn, corn, and more corn in yellow, white, and bi-color varieties. In addition to maize, Alsum’s stocks an assortment of club-sized zucchini, cucumbers, squash, melons, and pumpkins in the fall.
Best deal: A dozen freshly picked ears for $5.
Weirdest item: Ears of corn—you’re eating the ears of a vegetable. That's kind of weird, right? The “ear” of corn actually comes from an old root word meaning “stick” or “point.”
Serving suggestion: There’s not much that can beat fresh-picked corn, says owner Lorna Alsum. For corn a day or two old, try a Mexican twist: Grill the corn in the husks until it’s lightly charred. Remove the husk and coat the ear with a thin layer of mayo mixed with cayenne pepper. Then roll the ear in feta or cojita cheese and drizzle with lime.
Find it at: Dane County Farmers' Market, Saturdays, 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Capitol Square, through Nov. 7.
