When I taste corn I immediately think of the summertime.
Summer is when we get all of the amazing corn at our supermarkets, and the great prices! I love when you can find four or five ears of corn for just a dollar! At those great prices, it’s no wonder it’s corn season.
My favorites are corn on the cob and elote, the Mexican street corn is the perfect snack or side for all those summer BBQ’s.
But do you know the history of corn?
Corn originated in the Americas and is one of the most widely distributed of the world’s food crops, because not only is it used as food for us, for livestock, and even for fuel. Corn actually yields about 6% of all food calories for humans each year and grows on every continent except Antartica.
But corns history reaches back thousands of years! It was actually first domesticated by Mayan people in the Balsas River Valley Mexico about 10,000 years ago with a walks grass called teosinte. This ancient grain was very different than our corn of today, the kernels were smaller and not placed together, but slowly it evolved into the corn we eat today.
When Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, he found was the locals called “Mahiz.” He brought these maize seeds back to Spain and from Spain, the plant spread quickly all over Europe and then to the rest of the world. 17th Century Botanists believed that corn came from Turkey as it was nicknamed, “Turkish Wheat,” and “Guinea Wheat,” this was incorrect, but it shows how vast the crop expanded.
In Mexico, they’re still producing corn, and the Mexican Street food is Elote, their version of corn on the cob. An Elote is a popular late night snack for many Mexicans and street vendors across Mexico and now in the US all have their own take on elotes, but they all start with the same ingredients that you probably already have in your house! All elote vendors us corn, mayonnaise or butter (or both), cheese, chili powder, cilantro, lime, and salt for this delicious snack.
Are you ready to get going with making your own take on elote? Here’s a recipe you can use as a guide, but feel free to add extra spices or remove anything that you don’t like! Nothing is set in stone with elote, you just want it to taste good to you!
What you Need:
- 8 Ears of Corn, remove the Husks
- ½ Cup of Sour Cream
- ⅓ Cup of Mayonnaise
- ½ Cup of Cilantro
- 2 Minced Cloves of Garlic
- 1 pinch of Chipotle Pepper
- 1 Tablespoon of Lime Juice
- ½ Cup Cotija Cheese
- 1 Pinch of Salt
What to do:
- Turn on your grill
- Create the sauce by mixing together the lime juice, pepper, garlic, cilantro, salt, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
- Grill the corn, you want it to look golden, or even a little charred. Cook on all sides
- Top the corn with the sauce you mixed and then sprinkle the cotija cheese. Add extra cilantro and pepper if you desire!
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