Sweetcorn: season and benefits
Seasonal calendar - Sweetcorn
Nutritional values
An energy source thanks to its carbohydrates, sweetcorn also provides fibre, phosphorus and B vitamins.
Storage
Fresh corn on the cob quickly loses its sweetness: eat within 24 to 48 hours. Store in the fridge without removing the husks. Once cooked, it keeps 3 days in the fridge. The kernels freeze very well after 4 minutes of blanching. Tinned corn is a practical year-round alternative.
Origin
Corn originates from Mexico, domesticated by Mesoamerican peoples 9,000 years ago from teosinte, a wild grass. Brought back by Christopher Columbus in 1493, it acclimatised to south-west France from the 16th century. Sweet corn eaten as a vegetable is a variety developed in the United States in the 19th century.
Cooking Sweetcorn
Goes well with
Recipe ideas
- Grilled corn on the cob
- Tex-Mex corn salad
- Corn chowder
- Corn fritters
- Mexican-style corn (elote)
Did you know?
Each kernel of corn is connected to a silk thread (the golden hairs of the cob). If a thread is not pollinated, the corresponding kernel does not develop.