By Rebecca Sigh | Guest Columnist

I spotted the first ears of corn about 2 weeks ago at the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market.

Small kernels, packed with sweet flavors, and a great addition to any meal. Corn is such a versatile vegetable. It can be boiled, grilled, sautéed or baked; the options are endless. Here are some tips for cooking corn.

Microwave: The ears of corn, after being husked and washed, can either be placed in a covered dish with a sprinkle of water or can be wrapped individually with wax paper, with the ends of the paper twisted. Microwave between 1 and-a-half to 2 minutes per ear (less time per ear when cooking large amounts). If wrapped in paper, unwrap carefully as the corn will be very steamy. 

​Boiling: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Do not add any salt. Put husked corn in water and bring water back to a boil for about 5-10 minutes or until corn is steamy.

​Grilling: To grill corn, select nice ears that have not had the ends opened. Soak the ears in a bucket of water for 30 minutes or longer. Then simply cook over coals or on a gas grill, turning occasionally until the husks become slightly charred. Depending on your grill, this could take 10 to 20 minutes. It takes a little experimenting to determine how long you like your corn cooked. To serve, pull back the husk and enjoy.

​Freezing: Husk and wash the corn while you bring a large kettle of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, blanch the ears of corn (several at one time) for 4 minutes. Remove the corn and immediately cool down in an ice-water bath. Completely cooling the corn before freezing is important. Drain the ears of corn and then remove the corn from the cob. Place in freezer containers, freeze and enjoy this winter. Corn can be frozen on the cob if you wish. Drain well and place in freezer bags. 

For more information on the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market, email farmersmarketvicksburg@gmail.com or call 601-634-4527 or follow us on Facebook @Vicksburg Farmers Market or Instagram @farmersmarketvicksburg.