Sweet Corn EVERYTHING
I walked 110+ blocks for this scoop, from Cones A few years ago I became embarrassingly obsessed with cornbread. I think it started when I made chili and bought a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix to go along with it. I bought Jiffy because it's like, 49 cents a box, even though I was traumatized as a kid when I opened a blueberry muffin mix to find it filled with mealworms. They haven't changed the box design in like, fifty years, so I still think about that bug-infested nightmare every time I see the packaging. But I guess I'm cheaper than I am afraid of bugs, so I used the corn muffin mix to make cornbread.
It was very good, and a great compliment to the chili so I started buying it more frequently. Gradually I started adding sugar to the mix (this is America) and at the height of my addiction I was not only adding a few tablespoons into the batter, but I also sprinkled it on top so it developed a delightful, sugary crust. Sometimes on nights when I was home by myself, cornbread was the only thing I ate for dinner. I eventually broke out of my terrible cornbread habit by going (mostly) gluten-free, but luckily I've found a few other sweet corn treats to take its place.
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In the beginning of this year, I discovered the heaven that is the corn cookie at Momofuku Milk Bar. They're famous for their compost cookie, but it's actually my least favorite from their line-up. My favorite is definitely the corn, and it's obvious to me why: it tastes like an even better version of my sugary cornbread. I feel like I had been basically trying to make this exact cornbread cookie without even knowing it, all along. It's chewy and soft and a little undone which is exactly how a cookie should be. Yes, they are also not gluten-free, but I occasionally allow myself one as a special treat. In a showing of extreme willpower, I also no longer buy them in threes — even though they're cheaper that way.
I'm not exactly sure when I discovered that sweet corn ice cream was an actual thing, although I know I immediately typed it into Yelp to get to some as soon as possible. The first place I tried was Sundaes & Cones in the East Village. I went there specifically one night to try the sweet corn, but after tasting a sample I was unimpressed. It didn't have much flavor, and wasn't what I was expecting, so I ended up with a scoop of mint chocolate chip.
The next place I tried was just called Cones (apparently there's not much creativity in the ice cream shop world), in the West Village. They had rave reviews on Yelp, so I was hoping I wouldn't strike out again. At Cones they ask you if you'd like a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of your sweet corn ice cream, and I said sure I do. I definitely recommend the cinnamon even if it might sound weird, but it was a great pairing. The ice cream itself was exactly what I had wanted it to be — great, distinctive flavor and even tiny bits of real corn. I actually came back to Cones the next day to get the almond ice cream which was also amazing, so I think anything you order there will not disappoint.
Last Sunday I went to Shake Shack with the intent of ordering a burger (duh) and a lemonade, but scrapped the drink when I saw that their special custard flavor-of-the-day was blueberry sweet corn (!). It's hard to overshadow the deliciousness that is the Shack burger, but the custard came close. The blueberry was an inspired addition, and because it was a custard it was creamier than the scoop from Cones. It's dangerous now that I know that it exists, especially because I can get it from the 'B' or 'C' lines without having to wait forever.
I would also love to try Jeni's sweet corn and black raspberries— it would figure that I would discover something exciting in Ohio a few weeks after I move away for good. I might have to break down and order a pint for myself, although at $12 + shipping I'm already longing for those cheap boxes of Jiffy mix.