Written by 
Simply put the “staff” of life, whether its tortilla’s, cornbread, corn flakes, polenta or corn chips- it seems we consume corn every day in some manner. Here in Utah we have both the field corn which is used in foodstuffs, and the sweet corn which is grown for human consumption. Besides, what summer bbq is complete without corn on the cob???
Its known as maize to most of the world. Corn is a herbaceous plant domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents. After European contact with the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, maize spread to the rest of the world.
Growing corn requires several things, did you know that it is genetically designed to require a certain number of days above 50 degrees to mature? Pollination involves the male tassles have their pollen carried by the wind to the female silk flowers to produce the kernels. They have genetically changed corn so much that there is actually is a stock center of maize mutants, The Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center, at U of Illinois, the collection of freaks is some 80.000 strong!
Used in many regions of the world, maize meal is made into a thick porridge in many cultures: from the polenta of Italy, the angu of Brazil, the mămăligă of Romania, to mush in the U.S. or the food called ugali, and mealie pap in Africa. Maize meal is also used as a replacement for wheat flour, to make cornbread and other baked products. Masa (lime treated cornmeal) is the main ingredient for tortillas and many other dishes of Mexican food.
Maize is a major source of starch. Cornstarch (maize flour) is a major ingredient in home cooking and in many industrialized food products. Maize is also a major source of cooking oil (corn oil) and of maize gluten. Maize starch can be hydrolyzed and enzymatically treated to produce syrups, particularly high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener; and also fermented and distilled to produce grain alcohol. Grain alcohol from maize is traditionally the source of bourbon whiskey. Maize is sometimes as the starch source for beer.
Recipes using corn are virtually endless – tamales are my favorite mexican use of cornmeal, a nice polenta side dish or check out the corn chowder that is the Recipe of the Month for November.
cautions
Maize contains lipid transfer protein, an undigestable protein which survives cooking. This protein has been linked to a rare and understudied allergy to maize in humans. The allergic reaction can cause skin rash, swelling or itching of mucus membranes, diarrhea, vomiting, asthma and, in severe cases, anaphylactic shock. It is unclear how common this allergy is in the general populace. – this according to Wiki.
Interesting facts:
In the tropics with their long days and shorter nights, the corn can grow so tall so quickly that it produces no seed.
In Peru, purple maize is made into a soft drink called chica morada. Chicha is the alcoholic version of fermented purple maize.
Corn smut is also known as cuitlacoche in Mexico and South America, where it is served as a delicacy.
Delicacy?? I guess...but UGLY for sure!
