permaculture

["Marshall Chrostowski" <mcfarm@silcom.com>]

I don't think the problems arises from corn parentage.  Nor are the drying
and handling techniques.  Shelled kernels still too moist could have gone
moldy but that would have been noticable by look and smell.  Using a blender
used to a very fine state may have overheated the grain.  A corona mill is
preferable (I grind my own corn in one for terrific pancakes and muffins.)
Important not to get too fine for mouth feel and cooking.

Try wash off a small handful of kernels, soaking for a few hours, rinse and
roughly crush.  Taste by rolling around in your mouth for a time.  If the
flavor is alright, go ahead a grind a bit and cook on stove, not microwave
which will ruin good grain (most good food, for that matter).

In the end, you just might have to use in hominy dishes, changing the water
and number of times and eating only the endosperm.  If it is rancid, the
germ will be off flavor.

Marshall

From: donahuer@ols.net (Randy )
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 17:02:35 -0500 (EST)
X-Message-Number: 2

           Hello all,

                    I have a problem with some dent corn of mixed parentage
I grew last summer(bloody butcher, seneca starburst, hopi magenta, reids's
yellow, blue clarage, a real bastard corn, etc). I allowed this corn to
remain in the husk for a week or two after it had apparently dried. Then I
husked it and allowed to cure out for a month in a bin in my home. After
that point I went over each husk, removing any suspect kernels and then
shelling the rest. After filling up several cloth lined rubbermaid
containers I let it sit for around two months in a closet.
                     Finally today I procured a grinder. I tossed in about
two handfuls after removing any debris. I had to let the corn stay in there
for awhile, as the blender allowed the material in the middle to remain
course. I turned of the power after the thunk of solid kernels against the
inside of the blender subsided. The result was a very fine mixture. I took
it downstairs, added some milk, water, and salt and honey as I do to my
usual grits. I heated it for about two minutes in the microwave and  then
put a spoonful in my mouth. . . and had to suppress a powerful gag reflex. I
don't know if it was some chemical in the corn or the fineness of the grind,
but it made me ill.
                      I tried to give it to a member of my family. She
promptly spat it into her hand, saying," Don't eat that, you'll make
yourself sick!" I went upstairs and forced myself to eat three or four more
bites, thinking," Maybe if I eat a little more each day, I can get used to
it, and have eaten it all by the next harvest."
                      Is there any explanation for our physical aversion to
this corn? Should I use a corona mill instead of a blender to achieve a more
palatable texture? Could it be some kind of chemical in the corn, or a
defiency in the soil? Could the kernels have gone rancid in storage? Could I
roast or heat the corn before grinding to alter its flavor?
                       I would be grateful for any input on this matter, as
I have a great deal of this corn and no use for it besides eating it!

                      Respectfully,
                      Donahuer@ols.net



----------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Gag problem
From: "Yaya Balinci" <yaya@telus.net>
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 16:09:43 -0800
X-Message-Number: 3

It sounds like the corn might be good to add to the compost?
If you grind it up it would be a good carbon additive to help balance a
wet/boggy compost?
Yaya Balinci,
Sustainable Forest-Farm-Garden Design
Ecosystem Mapping using the Random Plot Survey
For Sustainable Production of foods and materials,
yaya@telus.net
604.253.2536
http://www3.telus.net/circleworks/sustmed2.htm
Vancouver, BC, Canada
*better known as NW Coastal Turtle Island





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