General Information
Red corn is a type of sweet corn. Its ears are wrapped in tightly bound lime hued husks with silks and a tassel that extend out from the tip. Red corn’s kernels are stained with hues of ruby brick red and creamy pink tones, depending on specific variety. The cobs of Red corn are typically leaner than yellow or white and kernels and less plump in size, though this is not a reflection of the Red corn’s sweetness. Red corn is exceptionally sweet and nutty in flavor and that flavor is brought out by cooking. Its texture is semi firm and the kernels juicy when young. It is very important to harvest Red corn at the proper stage of maturity. The critical time is the milk stage, when the juice in the kernel appears milky when you puncture the kernel with your thumbnail. As with all sweet corn varieties, as the corn matures, it loses its moisture, starch content increases and the kernels become tough.
History
Corn is native to the Americas, specifically Mexico. Wild corn was domesticated by indigenous Mesoamericans in prehistoric times. A wild grass, Teosinte (Zea Mexicana) is considered the ancestor of all known species of corn. Teosinte grows wild in remote areas of Mexico and Guatemala. The oldest known remains of corn were discovered in Mexico’s Valley of Tehuacan, and dated 2750 BC, approximately 7,000 years old. Thousands of strains of corn were developed throughout history. Red corn owes its origins to the indigenous people of the Andes in South America.
