Buck Conner1
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PARCHED CORN
An old friend and AMM buddy probably makes the best 'parched corn' around, bar none thanks to Mr. Lanney Ratcliff .
Some folks use a skillet and grease, but you can just buy Korn Nuts at 7-11 if that will suit you.
Traditionally dry corn was cooked by throwing kernels in hot ashes for a while. I use a sheet cake pan ( a glorified cookie sheet, if you ask me) and place a single layer of dried corn kernals in it and place it in a 350 degree oven. After a few minutes you will hear the corn "popping". The corn doesn't make popcorn, rather it "snaps and cracks" and will turn a light brown color. Remove from the oven and cool. The corn can be eaten as is and will store pretty much eternally. Or the corn can be crushed to powder (a blender or food processor works well for this, or use a metate or a mortar & pestal) to make pinole, also known as rockahominy and other names. A small handful consumed with the help of a big drink of water or eating a large pellet made by mixing a handful of pinole with a little water will stick to your ribs better than you can imagine. Some folks season or flavor the pinole with salt or sugar and, sometimes, cinnamon. Suit yourself here, but remember that salt tends to draw moisture.
Buy your corn from a health food store or a VERY well stocked grocery store. Feed store corn might have additives that you may not want to eat and seed corn will almost certainly have some additives, including pesticides and fungicides and God knows what other "cides". The health food store will possibly have blue corn or "Indian" corn. Even better.
Remember this, plain pinole is bland to the highest degree. It can be counted on to feed you but it is best relegated to "iron ration" status. A steady diet of the stuff will soon have you eating tree bark. LR
An old friend and AMM buddy probably makes the best 'parched corn' around, bar none thanks to Mr. Lanney Ratcliff .
Some folks use a skillet and grease, but you can just buy Korn Nuts at 7-11 if that will suit you.
Traditionally dry corn was cooked by throwing kernels in hot ashes for a while. I use a sheet cake pan ( a glorified cookie sheet, if you ask me) and place a single layer of dried corn kernals in it and place it in a 350 degree oven. After a few minutes you will hear the corn "popping". The corn doesn't make popcorn, rather it "snaps and cracks" and will turn a light brown color. Remove from the oven and cool. The corn can be eaten as is and will store pretty much eternally. Or the corn can be crushed to powder (a blender or food processor works well for this, or use a metate or a mortar & pestal) to make pinole, also known as rockahominy and other names. A small handful consumed with the help of a big drink of water or eating a large pellet made by mixing a handful of pinole with a little water will stick to your ribs better than you can imagine. Some folks season or flavor the pinole with salt or sugar and, sometimes, cinnamon. Suit yourself here, but remember that salt tends to draw moisture.
Buy your corn from a health food store or a VERY well stocked grocery store. Feed store corn might have additives that you may not want to eat and seed corn will almost certainly have some additives, including pesticides and fungicides and God knows what other "cides". The health food store will possibly have blue corn or "Indian" corn. Even better.
Remember this, plain pinole is bland to the highest degree. It can be counted on to feed you but it is best relegated to "iron ration" status. A steady diet of the stuff will soon have you eating tree bark. LR
