15 July 2009

Celebrating the 14th (and what's the deal with corn?)

HOW DID WE celebrate the oh-so-French Bastille Day? With lots of American food like potato salad, corn on the cob, and grilled chicken. Julia helped make just about everything. The only item not pictured is the big pan of Apple Crisp we had for dessert.

One question I have about corn on the cob is this: if there is so much being grown around here, why is it not less expensive in the stores. One theory we have is that much of the corn grown in this part of France is feed corn for livestock. We know the French don't eat corn on the cob like us Amrrrricans; in fact they don't much corn in general. So why do they grow so much -- we are completely surrounded by cornfields, much like we were last summer in the Southwest. Is the livestock theory correct? Perhaps it's an exported product? Ethonol?

CJS

4 comments :

annie said...

Correct. N'essayez pas de manger le maïs des champs en France : ce sont des variétés pour le bétail, pas pour les humains, et en plus certainement plein de pesticides !!!

jim said...

I remember my cousin's and I competing to see who could eat the most cobs of corn at our annual family picnics. Certainly not the brightest thing to do!

Biting into a fresh cob of "peaches and cream" corn is so tasty!!

jim

Anonymous said...

corn syrup

Anonymous said...

As Annie said, it is for the cows. My dad brought corn seed from the US to my uncle in the Tarn and the family really grew to like it so they plant a small patch now. But before the only corn they grew and lots of it was as feed for the cows. Michel