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Photograph by Bennett Pruitt

Are you tired of plain old corn? As much as I love sweet summer corn, I really just can’t eat corn on the cob with butter and salt and pepper every time. I need more! I guess that’s because I love spicy, tasty food so much. Here's how you spice it up one notch: Try some flavored butter, such as herb butter, garlic butter, or curry butter. To make it yourself, simply mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped herbs or your favorite seasoning to half a cup of salted butter—you've instantly created fireworks to your butter.

Most of the time, you can find really sweet and tender corn at local farmer’s markets or your regular stores. Sometimes though, the corn might not always be as sweet—use it in chowders, make creamed corn or scalloped corn, put them in your cornbread, or you can use them in salad. Here's what I like do with them:

Corn fritters with spicy cucumber sauce
2 cups fresh corn kernels (2-3 ears of corn)
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp. red curry paste
Oil for frying

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients well.  You can refrigerate the mixture at this point if you choose.  Heat oil in a heavy saucepan or deep-fryer over high heat.  Gently drop 2 tablespoons of corn mixture into hot oil, fry until golden, and turn over for another minute or two. Drain on paper towel. Serve immediately. Makes 18–24 fritters.

Spicy cucumber sauce
1 cayenne pepper, chopped
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
3 tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt

Combine vinegar, salt, and sugar in a bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Stir in the rest of ingredients.