Welcome to Corn Roast!
Salty, buttery kernels of yellow popping with every bite - what’s that? You got it - corn! It's officially corn season and we’re here to talk about the fun way some of our friends incorporate corn into their family traditions every summer!
Our friends Tony Lusardi and Amanda Marschall hosted their third annual Corn Roast this past weekend, and it was nothing short of spectacular! And yes - you heard me right - a corn roast! When most people think about corn, they think about boiling it, microwaving it, maybe even grilling it. Not Tony and Amanda! They put a whole different twist on things at their corn roast!
So what exactly is a corn roast?
A corn roast is a celebration that brings people together through nothing other than corn! Amanda tells us, “Everybody loves corn! It’s such a staple summer vegetable, and what better way to get friends and family together than having an entire party about it to carry on family tradition!”
The original Corn Roast invitation from 1971!
Where did it all begin?
The coolest part of this entire corn roast tradition is that it started off as a neighborhood block party back in the 70’s. Tony tells us, “Back then, it was corn only. It was an open invite. Neighbors would wake up early to dig a pit the morning of and start burning the wood!” In the 70’s, when it all began, the hosts would charge people 25 cents to help contribute to the cost of butter. Tony and Amanda have kept that fun tradition alive by asking all their guests to bring a quarter! Can you say fun?!!
What’s the process?
Tony Lusardi -master of the fire pit himself- helped explain what goes into this process! He explained the corn is cooked (with the husks still on) at a high heat over a hot fire pit. All the wood that they use comes from the surrounding trees that have fallen down on their property. Tony splits the wood himself and lets it season for about a year. Before heading into the fire pit, the corn must soak in water for about 18 minutes. Once the fire pit is hot enough and ready to go, he rakes the coals to the side, places the corn carefully in, and buries them. While the first batch cooks (for about 18 minutes), the second batch soaks in the water. In between batches, he throws a bunch of small, very dry wood on the fire to bring the temperature back up. This process is repeated until all the ears of corn are cooked up! When the corn is finished cooking it’s shoveled out and ready to husk, butter, salt, and enjoy! It is TRULY a melt in your mouth situation, and I’m speaking from experience here!
For this huge traditional celebration, about 2 bags of corn are cooked (about 5 dozen in each bag) with a total of about 120 ears of corn. That’s a lot! They get their corn each year at a local farm stand in Somers, CT to help support local farmers in the area.
This corn roast celebration is such a fun way to incorporate fresh, Connecticut grown corn while supporting local farms. So if you’re looking for a different way to spice things up next summer, try out a good old corn roast. You won’t be disappointed!
