Corn Man Corn Chowder

Local Edibles

Corn Man Corn; Morningview Farm Canadian Bacon (on sale at the co-op!)

(additional ingredients: chicken stock, onions, butter, carrots, potatoes, flour, milk, spices, etc.)

What I did: here in Ashland, we have a local legend: the Corn Man.  Every summer, the Corn Man sets up shop in town (albeit briefly) in a parking lot, and the masses flock to him because those in the know KNOW that Corn Man corn is the BEST corn in town.  However, a few weeks back, our local newspaper published a FRONT PAGE STORY on the Corn Man.  Bloody hell!  Now, of course, everybody and their mother (and their mother's cousin's brother) know about the Corn Man...and the lines are sometimes 15, 20, 25 people deep to pick up a few ears of corn.

But you know what?  It's worth it.  And I was lucky enough to have a kind co-worker pick up a dozen ears for me the other day while she was waiting in line.  And since Corn Man corn is the BEST corn (so sweet!  so succulent!  so PERFECT) I always prefer to eat it simply, either right off the cob OR highlighted in a quick chowder.  Since I had some delicious Canadian bacon from Morningview Farms on hand, I decided to go ahead and whip up a batch.  Here is what I did:

First, I diced my Canadian bacon, onions, potatoes and carrots and sauteed them together in butter and oil.  Note: I specifically choose to cook with CANADIAN bacon when I make Corn Man corn chowder as opposed to 'regular' bacon, because I feel as if regular bacon overpowers the sweet and delicate taste of the corn...and I don't want that.  I want the CORN to be the star of the show here (deservedly so) and I find that Canadian bacon (especially Morningview Farm Canadian bacon, which is just phenomenal) is a perfect accompaniment.

At any rate, after I sauteed my CB and veggies, I deglazed the pot with chicken stock, and let everything simmer for a bit.  I added milk, made a roux with butter and flour to thicken everything up, and added my corn (freshly cut from the cob, about 2 1/2 cups worth) at the end.  Personally, I prefer my corn chowder to have plump, fresh corn kernels (and not mush), and since Corn Man corn is SO sweet and SO good...there really is no need to roast it or cook it before you add it to the chowder.  Hell, I've been known to drunkenly gnaw on raw Corn Man corn cobs on the beach in Cornucopia on occasion--because it is THAT good!

The Verdict
The Corn Man did not disappoint, as usual!  His cobs were perfect.  This chowder was easy to make and delicious.  It tasted like SUMMER!

Taste: 8.5
Appearance: 7
Creativity: 5

Improvements for next time: perhaps add celery?  A little green color might improve the aesthetic.