Corn

Corn, the crop, is one of the most versatile and productive crops in the world. It grows almost anywhere in the United States and has higher yields than just about anything else. Corn, the grain, is a member of the grass family. The cereal plant originated in the Americas, first domesticated about 10,000 years ago in modern-day Mexico. Today, it is used as feed for livestock and humans, biofuel and as a raw material in industry. In New York last year, about 485,000 acres of corn were harvested as a grain, while 495,000 were grown as silage, or animal feed, according to the USDA.

Corn, the food, speaks for itself. Bought locally, shucked at home, it needs little more than a quick hot bath, a pad of butter and shake of salt. Eating plain and simple corn on the cob is still one of the original farm-to-table classics that rewards conscientious shoppers (farm-fresh, the kernels are soft, juicy, plump; miles away in taste from the stuff shipped across the country, the kernels calcifying, losing moisture, shrinking). But corn can also be a delightful canvas on which chefs can paint layers of flavor and spice. We asked two of our favorite globe-trotting restaurants— Tara Kitchen in Troy and Cantina in Saratoga Springs—for some far-flung inspo.

Tara Kitchen | @tarakitchentroy
Cantina | @cantinasaratoga