Aaahhh. The simple pleasures of summer and youth. Warm nights, ripe fruits (hidden behind Hubby's knee), and crisp, sweet corn on the cob.
Seeing Sweetie sit down with her Daddy to "help" him shuck the corn (more like keep-Daddy-company-while-guarding-over-one-ear-and-gobbling-her-first-of-many-blueberry-helpings) reminded me of my own childhood corn shucking experience. As you'll read, though, Sweetie had a much more enjoyable time of it than I did when I was her age.
We were visiting my grandparents during summer vacation back in the late 70's. Corn on the cob was on the dinner menu and I wanted to help my dad with the shucking. But, for whatever reason, he told me no.
I was devastated. I remember crying profusely because I wasn't allowed to help out. I'm sure I felt I could easily learn the task. But no - he shucked the corn by himself, quickly and efficiently.
Such a simple request. Yet, obviously, a very emotional one for me. Who knows why I was heart-wrenched enough to keep this memory with me all these years. All because I wasn't allowed to shuck corn! Poor, pitiful me. How sad.
We even have a picture of this sad exchange. I tried to find it at my parents house this weekend, but it was nowhere to be found. Oh well. Maybe my mom can help me find it and I'll add it in here later. But, for now, you'll have to settle for this other picture from my 3-year old days.
Sorry about the quality. It's a picture of a picture. But, nonetheless, it's me enjoying another warm weather simple pleasure of childhood. (Oh, and that red wheeled rider in the background? My parents still have it and Sweetie rides it around whenever she gets the chance!)
So anyway....back to the corn! I absolutely love corn on the cob. Every summer I endlessly pester my husband to pick some up for us to enjoy. But he never allows it. Not as early as I'd like, anyhow. He always says that we can't have corn on the cob until August - that's when it's ready to pick. Any sooner and it won't taste as good. Period.
Well, this year I got a little bit of any early treat. This past Saturday, Hubby agreed to endulge my culinary desires.
We went to the local farmstand and picked up something for everyone - a half dozen ears of corn, one tomato (for Hubby's favorite summertime treat - tomato salad) and a container full of fresh blueberries - Sweetie could devour the entire quantity in one sitting if we allowed it.
Everything was delicious! So light, seasonal and simple. Hubby had his salad as an appetizer all to himself. I relished in the buttery sweet goodness of the corn (as did Hubby and Sweetie) accompanied by some popcorn shrimp on the side, and Sweetie's dinner ended up consisting of nothing but 2 or 3 helpings of blueberries and 2 ears of corn. Yum!
You gotta love fresh, local produce, prepared simply to enhance the natural flavors.
Here's to simple pleasures of summer and youth!
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