Corn molesters

[Dreamstalker]

Since corn came into season, I've seen this more and more: older people ripping the husks off to "see if the corn is good", and tossing any that don't meet their bizarre standards back on the pile (since nobody else wants corn that's already been opened, it goes to waste).

Farmer's market, last week: Some lady at my favorite stand was methodically molesting the corn; tearing back the husk, glaring at it and tossing it back on the pile. No idea what she was looking for. I saw her throw back quite a few ears that were perfectly fine. I quietly alerted one of the workers to this and she got talked to and tossed out.

My mom has a cooking job tonight, so we went to the supermarket yesterday to get the supplies, among them corn. They had just put a "barrel" of it out, so all the ears were pristine. Cue an old woman with permanent CBF in the middle of a small hurricane of husks and silk.

OW: *ripping the husks off and dropping them everywhere as I'm trying to find ears she hasn't touched yet* "How can you just buy those? You don't know what you're doing! They've come from a farm you know!"
Mom: "The husks on corn are there for a reason, if you rip them off too soon the corn dries out."
OW: "But I have to check for bugs! I grew up on a farm you know! [cue "I'm-smarter-than-you" tone] Corn gets bugs and if you eat them you'll die. You have to take the husks off." (great googly moogly, the husks aren't toxic lady, if you want pre-cleaned corn there are some shrinkwrapped ears in the next aisle)
Mom: "I've been a chef for thirty years and my daughter and I were picking corn since she could reach the plants. If the husks are clean you shouldn't have anything to worry about."
OW: *peels back husk, sees a tiny shoot right at the end of the ear* "See? A bug! Put all that corn back right now!"
Mom: "That's the corn growing. It's perfectly natural."
OW: *finds something else* "There! A bug!"
Me: "That's a speck of dirt."
OW: "OMG some crushed kernels! Maggots!"
Mom: *getting a bit annoyed* "That ear was dropped. The husk was protecting it, so it's fine."

I finished bagging our corn and went to find some broccoli, but I could still hear OW trying to convince mom that she didn't know what she was talking about. By the time mom joined me by the salad case the woman was still going on, probably about "so called cooks, don't know anything these days".

We get all two dozen ears of corn home and...they're perfectly fine. Nice and juicy since the husks were intact.

[telecom_goddess]

My mother was always the type to pull the husks back on corn and put them back if she didn't like them...and yeah she was an old woman at the time cause I was a late birth in life. I hated that.

[EvilEmpryss]

A lot of the corn I find in the supermarkets here you need to check before buying. Not for dirt (wash the cobs before you eat them) and not for bugs (that kind of damage usually shows on the husks), but because the corn is sometimes simply old and dried out. The corn isn't usually farm-fresh, and I've found old ears that were nearly desicated mixed in with a fresh batch. The store also tends to mix their yellow and white corn together, and the only way to tell them apart is to check. You don't need to pull the husk off completely, though. I pull a piece down just enough to check the variety and freshness and if it's good I take it. And unless I know I'm going to use it within an hour or so I shuck the corn at home, not at the store.

[Sheldonrs]

I sometimes peel the husk just a bit to check for any holes or punctures..
I can't eat pierced ears. LOL!!!


(I kill me.)

[Teskeria]

Stoppy (Stop & Shop for those outside the area) usually has a barrel next to the corn and you'll see people remove most of the husk right there. The majority just check for freshness, and then remove most of the husk, leaving a thin protective cover.

[Dreamstalker]

That I don't have issue with (although I do think husking it at home is more fun); what bugs me are the people who stand right in front of the display and leave all the husks and silk on everything in the general vicinity. I've seen a few cases where they husked it almost completely, then toss it back on the pile for some unknown reason (like the lady at the farmers market that I mentioned).

[chainedbarista]

i do a bit of a peel to check for mold or deterioration (and to sniff for sweetness...what?), but never a full peel. that's just stupid and inconsiderate.

OW: "But I have to check for bugs! I grew up on a farm you know! [cue "I'm-smarter-than-you" tone] Corn gets bugs and if you eat them you'll die. You have to take the husks off." (great googly moogly, the husks aren't toxic lady, if you want pre-cleaned corn there are some shrinkwrapped ears in the next aisle)

while i didn't grow up on a farm, my mom spent a lot of time on one and she taught me that it wasn't necessary to strip the corn. as for the dirt/bug issue, just wash the damn things; they'll be fine, i promise you.

[Whiskey]

I just go grab some corn and buy it.....?

[zombiequeen]

Quoth Whiskey

I just go grab some corn and buy it.....?

Same here. If it's icky when I get home, cut off the bad parts (yeah, that's how I roll) and deal with it.

[Whiskey]

Quoth zombiequeen

Same here. If it's icky when I get home, cut off the bad parts (yeah, that's how I roll) and deal with it.

"fuck it, itll burn off. if not, my intestines need to be stronger anyways"