where to get corny

Late summer produce is probably one of my top 5 most special love languages. Tomatoes, corn, zucchini blossoms, juicy berries, melon — all the best fresh goodness that makes eating healthy feel as effortless as a tampon commercial. I live for a deep dive into a seasonal veg, getting into the weeds of produce at its peak, so this week I’m zoning in on all things corn.

Corn was never my BBQ compadre of choice. I had to open my heart to corn as more than just a vehicle for butter (which it does excel at), and explore more dynamic & sweet preparations to really hold those little kernels dear.

So, I’ve rounded up some dishes that I think will mellow you into the late summer headspace. Explore and get shuckin’ y’all. xoxo

Buttery Sweet Corn Agnolotti, among other delectable dessert specials (they had a sweet corn panna cotta last week and their sweet corn & blueberry tiramisu is back on the menu this week!!!) from the mad scientist dessert brains of La Cantine.

Another Corn Agnolotti (no surprise there), peppered with truffle and asiago. If you’re feeling really corny, I recommend you start with the Cacio e Pepe Corn Fritters.

Corn Ribs, slathered in morita vinegar in an upscale messy BBQ fashion, to make a non-meat eater like me extremely happy. Plus, their team makes masa daily for fresh corn tortillas, and some of the city’s best tacos.

Corn Ribs PT2 seasoned with za’atar, along with a big pot of corn bread + a dollop of harissa honey butter, from the new rotisserie girl in town.

The truffle corn dumplings from Korean resto Mokyo, an evergreen item on their menu that makes the list of “Aley’s all time favorite appetizers.” The dumplings themselves are perfection, so soft and supple with juuuust the right amount of truffle to elevate the corn, not overpower.

Corn Tortelli, filled with mascarpone + parm. Not another agnolotti….but pretty close. We’re seeing the pattern here.

Esquites, where that delicious Mexican street corn on a stick is deconstructed and put into a tasty little to go bowl. If for some reason you feel the need to go absolutely off the deep end, they also have Chicken Birria Loaded Esquites that are dusted with hot cheetos. Enjoy at your own risk.

Smoked Corn BLT, marrying all the sweet stuff of summer into one thick bite.

The Somtum Corn Salad is spicier than you think it will be, with Thai Bird’s Eye chili bringing out a fire behind longbeans, tomatoes, & garlicky fish sauce.

Corn ‘za on a white sourdough pie from Enzo, the soon-to-be next hot spot from the team behind Zero Bond and Cucina Alba.

Triple Corn Buns, like, a cinnamon roll shape but, with fluffy brioche, a fresh corn filling, cream cheese frosting, corn pastry cream, and fresh corn kernels. sweet niblets!!

Blueberry + Sweet Corn Custard Croissant thingies. Yes, you will absolutely have to wait 1 hour in line to even try to get one of these bad boys.

Sweet Corn Danish from Claude, filled to the brim with both corn cream and a rich dulce de leche, and with a few gentle kernels of grilled corn sprinkled overhead.

Sweet Corn Bingsu, a creamy Korean shaved ice in a seasonal corn milk edition, coated with sweet corn, frosted flakes and mascarpone corn cream.

Sweet Corn Cheesecake (+ a Cornbread Cheese Cookie if you want something more) from this new Thai pastry shop. An indulgent bite that somehow still feels light & fluffy.

Elote Butter Soft Serve from the Dominque Ansel team, who have the sick & twisted minds to dip corn-flavored soft serve into in mère French butter. Top it off with Cotija cheese & Tajin with a fresh lime wedge garnish.

Corn Husk Meringue Sundae, inspired by sister restaurant Cosme’s iconic upscale dessert, in to-go form that can be enjoyed while loitering on Bedford Ave. Nicely finished after housing some of their tacos on corn tortillas.

The famous Corn Popsicle, with housemade corn ice cream, layered with roasted corn paste & cream, all in the shape of a cutie little corn cob.

The Roasted Corn Sour, a perfect little sweet n’ sour mix. Built around every part of the corn, the drink layers housemade roasted corn syrup with Mexican corn whiskey before being finished with a dusting of charred corn husk.

The Flip the Corn seasonal special from this new Japanese-ish cocktail spot in Flatiron, a silky soupy rum drink topped with sweet corn cream.

The Corn Latte, with Vietnamese espresso & a creamy, lightly sweet n buttery corn cream, is probably the most well-known of the bunch, making the TikTok ‘viral’ rounds last year after the corn harvest stormed the city.

The Corn Star martini, a drink I come back to time and time again. Not really fresh corn, it’s a creamy-smooth take on the Porn Star Martini with corn pop cereal-infused vodka.

The Cloud Chamber, a freaky-fun mix of roasted corn tea, kombu, and cocoa vodka.

I have to share the Christina Tosi corn bake recipe for all you corn lovers to make at home. It’s a deliciously perfect blend of corn pudding & corn bread, but my only tweak is that I like to roast the whole kernel corn in the oven/air fryer before combining all ingredients.

Yellow-ish things in my cart….I have been living in my Hill House nap dress all summer, the yellow color is so fun and bright and buttery happiness. Not quite corn, but I <3 this yellow tulip dress from Tyler McGillivary. Socks that look like sticks of butter. A beeswax candle in the shape of corn. A platter that perfectly holds your corn on the cob.

It feels like kismet that I’m currently reading Butter: A Novel of Food and Murder. It really is about food and murder, and hunger in all forms — desire, loathing, jealousy, loneliness, starvation. So far so good!

____________________________________________________________________________

Corn city map linked HERE, and I am the mf mayor. benevolent dictator. court jester?

xxxAley