Corn — From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.

CORN

  Field Corn has many varieties and colors, but white and yellow are the most common.  These are used in many forms after they are fully ripe and dry.

  Hulling.  The first step in the preparation is the removal of the hull.  In the "new process" the corn is kiln-dried, which makes the hull separate easily from the grain.  The hull and germ are loosened by machinery and then removed by bolting; the remaining part of the grain is then prepared in several ways, and is known by the following names:

  Samp, the whole grains.
  Hominy, the broken grains, coarse and fine.
  Meal, ground coarse, like sugar, granulated meal,
   ground fine, bolted meal,
   ground like powder, corn flour.

  Corn Starch, the starch separated from the other part of the grain.  Corn starch is sometimes called corn flour, but it is prepared by a different process, the starch being entirely separated from the other parts of the grain and it is practically pure starch.

  The flavor of corn starch is disliked by many persons; probably in some brands of it the separation has not been complete and some of the other substances were removed with the starch.  It should be thoroughly cooked at high temperature, and is best when used as a thickening for sauces, soups, and pudding sauces.  When used as a substitute for eggs in custard and other milk desserts, it should be cooked thoroughly in the milk before adding the eggs.

  Corn Meal is used as a mush and gruel, in a great variety of hot cakes and muffins, in combination with rye meal and Graham flour in brown bread, and in puddings.

  Corn has a large amount of starch and but little protein, but what it lacks in protein it makes up in fat, and when combined with milk, or cheese, or eggs, as it usually is, it may well be considered a hearty food.  The yellow and the white corn meal are about equal in nutritive value, but the flavor of the white is considered the more delicate.

  The protein of corn is not like the gluten in wheat, for it lacks the elastic, tenacious quality and the meal cannot be made into a bread of the light, dry, porous texture of wheat bread.  But combined with wheat and rye in brown bread, or with wheat in small cakes and muffins, it is very palatable.

  The old process of grinding corn meal is still used in the South and Rhode Island.  The whole grain is ground between stones and generally sifted only be the user.  It is known as "water ground" or "wind-mill ground."  Owing to the fat in the germ, the moisture in the grain and the heat of the stones in grinding, the meal soon becomes musty and should be bought in small quantities.  The flavor is different from that made by the new process.  The latter being drier, needs more water in cooking, and also more shortening, as the fat was removed in the germ.

  Hulled Corn.  This primitive method of preparing corn is still in use and should be better known, for hulled corn has a flavor quite unlike that of any other and may be used in a variety of ways.

  The process is long, but one may generally buy it all ready for the table.  The corn is steeped in hot water and lye; when the hulls are loosened and eyes or germs are out, it is soaked in several waters till the lye is washed out and then boiled until soft.  Enough of the lye remains to give it an agreeable flavor.

  Pop Corn.  This is a small variety of field corn with very hard pointed kernels.  When dry and then heated, the moisture in the starch cells expands, the air in the grain also expands, and together there is sufficient force to cause an explosion of the hard cell walls;  the kernel turns completely inside out, enveloping the embryo and skin with swollen starch.

  Pop corn is best when crisp and freshly popped; it is eaten with salt and butter, or made into corn balls with syrup.  It is generally eaten between meals, and as a tidbit at evening treats; but it might better have a place as a part of the regular meal; with cream or milk as a breakfast food, as a cream soup for luncheon, and the corn balls for dessert.

SUGAR

  Sugar is a valuable food stuff, as it gives heat and energy in a form pleasing to the taste, and being soluble, it is easily digested.  Only a small portion of plain sugar is needed in the body, for many foods contain it and starchy foods are changed into sugar during digestion.

  The greater part of the sugar used in cooking is made from the sugar cane and sugar beet, and we buy it as a block or cube sugar, granulated, powdered or confectioner's sugar, and brown sugar.  Sugar is used in mixtures such as custards, cake, pudding, preserves, beverages, and on a large scale in making candy.

CARAMEL

  Melt one cup of sugar (either brown or white) with one tablespoon of water in a frying-pan.  Stir until it becomes of a dark brown color.  Add one cup of boiling water; simmer ten minutes, and bottle when cool.  This should always be kept on hand, as it is useful for many purposes.  It gives a rich, dark color to soups, coffee, and jelly; is more wholesome than browned butter in sauces, and is delicious as a flavoring in custards and pudding sauces.

CARAMEL CUSTARD

  Melt one cup of granulated sugar in an iron pan.  Stir to prevent scorching, and when it is well browned take out about half of it and stir it into one quart of milk, which should be heating over boiling water.  It may harden in the milk, but that will do no harm as it will soon melt.  To the remainder of the browned sugar add one half cup of water and let it simmer ten minutes, then set away to cool.  Beat six eggs slightly, stir in one half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of vanilla and a few drops of extract of almond.  Add part of the hot milk and when well mixed strain it into the remainder.  Grease several small tin moulds or cups with a slight coating of olive oil or strained butter, fill with the custard and set them into a shallow pan of hot water.  Bake in a moderate oven until the custard is firm; when a thin knife is inserted to the bottom and comes out with no trace of milk on it the custard is done.  Put away in a cold place, and when ready to serve turn them out carefully on to individual dishes; pour some of the caramel over and put a little whipped cream around the edge.

PANOCHA

  Put three cups of dark brown or maple sugar in a clean saucepan, or the chafing-dish, add one cup rich creamy milk, and boil till it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water.  Add one teaspoon vanilla and beat vigorously as it cools and thickens.  Stir in one or two cups of brown  English walnuts or pecans.  Turn into buttered pans to cool.

FRUIT AND NUT PASTE

  Take equal parts of best raisins, dates and figs and half as much nuts, or one cup each of the three fruits and one and one half cups of nuts, measured after preparing.  Remove the seeds from the raisins, the stones and scales from the dates, the stems from the figs, and the shells from the nuts; the brown skin also if almonds or peanuts are used.  One variety or a mixture of nuts may be used.  The nuts should be ground through the fine blade of the meat chopper and then rubbed with a pestle to a paste; the raisins and dates also should be minced fine, and if you want it especially nice you may rub the figs through a sieve fine enough to keep back the seeds.  Mix all very thoroughly, then turn it on a board in a bed of confectioner's sugar, and knead it until firm enough to roll out.  Roll part of it one half inch thick and cut in half-inch cubes with a sharp knife, and part of it one fourth inch thick and cut in rounds with the smallest pattie cutter.  Dip the roller and the cutter in the sugar to prevent the paste from sticking.  Roll the cubes and discs in the sugar until well covered, then put away in a cool place, with confectioner's paper between the layers.  These will keep some time in air-tight containers.

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye,
An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky.
 
  Oscar Hammerstein II — Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin