Baby corn

Abstract

Fresh baby corn is eaten in its entirety and has a crisp texture and a subtle, slightly sweet corn flavor. Although almost all the baby corn found in the United States is imported from Asia in pickled or canned form, fresh baby corn is easy to grow in the Pacific Northwest. Baby corn is no longer a delicacy or specialty food reserved for salad bars and Asian restaurants; it is a delicious locally produced treat to eat raw or cooked in many recipes. Baby corn’s miniature size makes consumers think that it grows from “baby” corn plants, but the tiny ears of baby corn are simply immature ears from regular-sized corn plants. Specialty cultivars are available for baby corn production, but baby corn can also be harvested from most common corn cultivars. The purpose of this publication is to describe how to select a cultivar and grow baby corn. Marketing baby corn is also discussed.