On Corn

I finished a book, this winter, from the Living History Farms Information Resource Center called "The Story of Corn" by Betty Fussel. This book thoroughly covers most aspect of corn except the taste and smell. Our author starts with flying to a family reunion in Nebraska and the passengers would not leave the plane until they heard the Cornhuskers final score. Then, an aunt showed her a cookbook that had corn in every recipe. She started an investigation on “Corn Madness” and she caught the disease herself. Dr. Fussel wrote stories about how people connect to corn; the myths and history of corn; the science in and around corn; how they grow corn in other climates and in ancient ways; the evolvement of machinery in raising corn; how we grind and prepare corn for eating without getting pellagra; how to make Piki (cornflakes); how people made fortunes in corn; making the drinks Chicha and Moonshine; the culture of corn whiskey; commodities of corn; genetics of corn; ancient ceremonies from corn dances to human sacrifices; carnivals and palaces; corn husking. She finally draws us around the blessing of corn.

This is not a dry textbook. It is a journey meeting “corn mad” people of strange cultures and mountains of knowledge to gain. There are fascinating pictures and quotations. One of my favorite quotes of Betty Fussel is: “What is corn? The floor, earth, grass, leaves, the bluebird on top of the stalk, the evening and morning star, the man who tends it with his blood and the woman who grinds it with her swear into meal, the lost time of the blue tortilla…. Rain comes down, corn grows up, the way up is the way down, when the circle is complete.”

Have I gone “Corn Mad”? Oh yes! I entreat you to join me by reading this book. You can buy your own copy by purchasing it at a local bookstore or online for reference. I plan to read the journey again.