Making the most of the season's sweet corn

Florida and Georgia keep supermarket corn bins full year round, but August is when it finally comes from down the road.

"Even in the most northern parts of the country, by now you'll have local growers bringing in corn," said Steve Reiners, associate professor of horticulture at Cornell University. "The dog days of summer, that's when corn is at its peak."

Catching corn at its peak is important. The moment corn comes off its stalk, its abundant sugars begin turning to starch, so the less time on the road the better. Corn that's been sitting around tends to taste mealy and dry.

A fresh ear will have soft, moist silk and inner husks. To select great corn, open up each ear and examine the kernels. They should be plump and firm. Dents suggest the ear is drying out and already well on its way from sugar to starch.

Grilling is a delicious was to make corn shine. Soaking unshucked ears in lightly salted water for several hours will help them steam on the grill. But it's also fine to simply shuck and grill, which imparts a savory, roasted flavor.

For indoor cooking, give corn a quick steam bath. Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the corn, cover and steam for about 4 minutes. It also can be boiled for about the same time.

However you cook it, slather the corn in real butter and sprinkle with salt.