Hello everyone! We hope that you and your family are well and enjoying the best that summer has to offer … we are at Pathfinder Village! Last week, during our Thursday night social hour at the Pavilion, many of us gathered with our friends and area Boy Scouts to sing old-fashioned campfire songs. This week on Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Pathfinder Village will host a Cruise-In at the Pavilion, which is being organized by volunteers from NYCM Insurance. The public is invited to join in the fun! I can’t wait to see some of the vintage cars … I’m an old softie when it comes to old cars.
Of course, we invite everyone down to our next tempting Pathfinder Produce market on Thursday, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Village Commons. Our market staff has some great produce for sale – delicious fruits and veggies that turn a ho-hum supper into a summer treat.
Below, my colleague Sally Trosset shares some thoughts on one of the sweetest summer treats, fresh corn.
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Everyone is thinking it, but no one wants to say it: fall is just around the corner.
I was recently chatting with a teacher friend of mine. “I can’t believe it's already August,” I said. “Wasn't it just July 4th?"
"I know," she responded. "The August blues are like the Sunday night blues, but for a full month!"
So true, I thought. That anxious feeling...we have to get everything done before Labor Day or before the weather turns. Eventually, we’ll get excited about all the apples and “pumpkin-spiced everything” that’s coming our way. Not yet though.
With that thought, I called a friend who I usually bike ride with and told her we NEEDED to go for a nice long excursion on the weekend. The rain that had plagued us for many days was going to clear and the skies promised to be blue.
So, ride we did! Sunday morning we set out on our usual long trek through the back roads of Cooperstown, through Springfield, out to Van Hornsville, and back into Cooperstown. It had been so long!
As I was pedaling, I felt like I was in a life-sized corn maze the entire 30-mile ride: windy side roads, up-hill, down-hill, going past cornfield after cornfield. My mouth was watering by the time I got home two hours later. Yes, I literally needed water, but I quickly announced to my family, "Tonight we are grilling and we need corn-on-the-cob! It's August and we are going to savor this summer month in the best way we know how--eating!”
Everyone loves eating the freshest seasonal vegetables. But it's even better when you can get locally grown veggies at the peak of freshness. So where can you get local, homegrown sweet corn? This time of year, any roadside stand is almost guaranteed to provide you with succulent corn. I sent my son out to the east side of Otsego Lake, and I told him to take his pick on where to stop. I had passed nearly six stands in about six miles when I was riding back into town.
This sweet and savory side is made even more delicious when prepared on the grill. Grilling the corn is our method of choice. I quickly did some research and found some great recipes at the Hello Fresh blog. Always a fan of the classic ear slathered with butter and sprinkled with sea salt, I was ready to try something different.
We opted to try Mexican-, Italian-, and American-style corn. These were all delicious, but my personal favorite was the Italian-style, grilled with a touch of pesto and parmesan cheese. My kids were split between the Mexican-style (opting for butter instead of mayo), and American. The American style featured a slight taste of maple syrup, which was a nice complement to the sweet corn. Even though these extras make corn-on-the-cob less healthy (and corn does have a reputation of being high in carbohydrates), one should note that corn is actually healthy and you can indulge in this treat without guilt at the next family barbeque.
According to The Huffington Post, some of corn’s health benefits include being low in calories and high in antioxidants, protecting against cardiovascular disease and benefiting eye and colon health. And even though it is sweet, it is also okay for those who are watching their blood sugar levels.
A yummy dinner was had by all, and our family agreed that we're not quite ready to throw in the towel on summer! There are lots of late summer fruits and vegetables to enjoy and experiment with; we decided we would try to do more experimenting in the remaining weeks. Our next adventure? Grilled peaches and watermelon!
Until next time, eat and be well,
Sally (and Lori)
