How to Buy Corn

Sweet corn is available practically every month of the year, but is most plentiful from early May until mid-September.  Most supplies are yellow-kernel corn, but some white corn is sold.  Sweet corn is produced in a large number of States during the spring and summer, but most mid-winter supplies come from south Florida. 

For best quality, corn should be refrigerated immediately after being picked.  Corn will retain fairly good quality for a number of days, if it has been kept cold and moist since harvesting  For the same reason, it should be placed in the home refrigerator as soon as possible and kept moist until used.

Look for fresh, succulent husks with good green color, silk-ends that are free from decay or worm injury, and stem ends (opposite from the silk) that are not too discolored or dried.  Select ears that are well covered with plump, not-to-mature kernels.

Avoid ears with under-developed kernels which lack yellow color (in yellow corn), old ears with very large kernels, and ears with dark green kernels with depressed ares on the outer surface.  Also avoid ears of corn with yellowed, wilted, or dried husks, or discolored and dried-out stem ends.