Parched Corn

Subject line says it all..... anybody ever had it??

When I was a kid, my dad would make it 3 or 4 times a winter. It's kind of like Corn Nuts. All I remember was he made it in the corn popper.

I never gave it another thought until after he passed away. Mom has just enough Alzheimer's, that's she's not much help in knowing how he did it. Most people have never even heard of it. All of my brothers and sisters remember it, but non of them knew the secret.

Today, one of my friends showed up with a jar full of it. I guess I never asked him about it. He said he's been making it for ever, and he grew up eating it!



It's dried sweetcorn, then popped like popcorn. When you bite down on it, it just bursts into powder. It's the best. I now know the secret of my chidhood. The only trouble is, I have to wait until this time next year, to have the dried sweetcorn.

It's amazing how one bite of something can transport you back, so far in time. If I was ranking best days of 2014, today would be near the top.

Tim

Ok but you do know you have to post how to make it right?!?

LOL ~ Just like popcorn. Get the oil hot, throw in the corn, slap on a lid and wait for the popping to stop. I think it's faster and less violent than popcorn.

I'm on a quest for standing sweetcorn now. I know a guy, who's brother raises/sells produce, he might still have sweetcorn standing, since it's been too wet for fall tillage. I'll try to get ahold of him tomorrow. I really don't want to wait until next year to start making this.

I used to buy parched corn every year at the Feast of the Hunters Moon, a reenactment of a 1770s trading post near Tippecanoe battleground in West. Lafayette, IN. Around 3,000 re-enactors, plus miles of suttlers -- and loads of folks selling period foods -- including parched corn. They always said it would last for six months. I found it rarely even lasted for the whole drive back to Chicago.