Neighbor Mike wrote:My experience with Mirai is a nice crunchy ear of corn yet tender and more sweet than any other ear I have ever tried. I never cook an ear more than 5 minutes in water or 10 on the grill when in the husk and typically wrapped in foil. I don't like Mirai caremelized from grilling, but I do like to do that with other ears of sweet corn.

We just bought a bunch at the Andersonville market yesterday. As they were handing it to us, they said: "Microwave for two minutes in the husk or boil it for two and a half minutes out of the husk."

We just bought a bunch at the Andersonville market yesterday. As they were handing it to us, they said: "Microwave for two minutes in the husk or boil it for two and a half minutes out of the husk."

That's most likely better advice than what I gave. When multi-tasking in the kitchen and potentially out at the grill as well, I just try to make sure that no more than 5 minutes go by before I pull it out of the water. On the grill, I have it wrapped in the husk and typically in foil so it takes a little more time to get it up to temp, but 10 minutes is the absolute max. Dealing with other items on the grill and a kid who is determined to distract me can cause a delay so my times are probably more my reality than ideal.

My Gurnee friend took me on a field trip over to TGF in Harvard today for that much-mentioned Mirai corn.
Here's what I think--have you ever tried to just eat it raw?
I honestly don't think it benefits from cooking (at least not 'wet' cooking--grilling may be another matter). We ate a couple of ears of it in a park, sticky juice dribbling everywhere.
But it tasted like a delicious apple to me, which is perhaps is not what you are looking for in a sweet corn.
i had to try it once.

Yesterday at the French Market in Wilmette the gentleman who was selling Mirai corn was handing out tiny ears of the corn encouraging people to eat it raw.

Guess their product is still strong. Have not cracked it open yet to report.
$5.00 for 6 ears, 10.00 for 18.

jayinchicago wrote:My Gurnee friend took me on a field trip over to TGF in Harvard today for that much-mentioned Mirai corn.
Here's what I think--have you ever tried to just eat it raw?
I honestly don't think it benefits from cooking (at least not 'wet' cooking--grilling may be another matter). We ate a couple of ears of it in a park, sticky juice dribbling everywhere.
But it tasted like a delicious apple to me, which is perhaps is not what you are looking for in a sweet corn.
i had to try it once.

If anyone wants to try it at a very reasonable price ($1 or $1.50 I cannot remember), it is served at the Boone Co. Fair adjacent to the 4-H Food booth.

Nichols at the oak park farmers market was selling mirai ears for $0.50/ea or 6 for $2 (i believe). I got some regular corn from The Farm instead, and it was awesome.

I tried some (mirai) this year, and then tried corn from various farms around the area. Mirai was not the sweetest or best of the lot. I always buy corn before 10 AM, that way it isn't more than 2 - 3 hours out of the field. If I'm not going to use or process it immediately, I put it in the frig. until I can. It all makes a big difference.

Mirai is available at the Elgin farmer's market on Thursdays. I enjoy it raw.

Skokie Farmer's Market this AM. Sweet, crunchy, delicious.



Mirai Corn, Count me a Fan!

We got some (at least, it was marked that way on the sign) at the Logan Square market this morning.

They sell it at the Wilmette market, which I go to on rare occasion. The beef I have with them is that you cannot pick out your own corn, and unless you want 18 ears of corn or whatever, it is more expensive than Nichols corn. Nichols told me they use the same seed as these folks. At the Evanston farmer's market I usually get my corn from either Nichols or Jon First. They have by far the best corn.

I buy Mirai Corn at Casey's in Naperville.
You can purchase single ears or by the bag.


Casey's
124 West Gartner Rd
Naperville, Il 60540

Picked up Mirai corn for the first time this season at Daley Plaza on Thursday.

Stripped from the cob I had a smidge over 6.5 lbs from 24 ears. It was $15.

I used it for Paul Virant's chow chow ( one of my favorite pickles/relish/preserves).

The yield was 10 pints.

The vendor at Daley mentioned they would be around another week or two so I hope to do the same at least one more time this season.

They used to sell Mirai corn at the Skokie farmers market. Does anybody still sell it there? Or is there any other good corn at the Skokie market on Sundays?

Well after reviewing this thread and realizing corn season is drawing to the end I am heading out to search for some ears for chow chow.

Hopefully it only takes one nearby stop.

pairs4life wrote:Well after reviewing this thread and realizing corn season is drawing to the end I am heading out to search for some ears for chow chow.

Hopefully it only takes one nearby stop.

Not sure if you need it immediately but Tracey at Three Sisters grows it. You can probably arrange a pick up with her next week.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:[
Not sure if you need it immediately but Tracey at Three Sisters grows it. You can probably arrange a pick up with her next week.

=R=

Yeah. I had enough put up in the before times that the last jars of chow chow were taken/opened earlier this year.

I can grab more next week. Thank you.

Ronnie-- Would you please post the contact info for Three Sisters? Thanx.

Mark Lafevor grows only Mirai sweet corn and sells at several farmers markets. I buy it at Lincoln Square on Tuesday mornings. His list of markets from his web site shows nine markets including Buffalo Grove, Deerfield and Elk Grove Village in the suburbs.

Nichols Farm has carried Mirai in the past, but in recent years I have not been to any market where they sell. Market list

jimd wrote:Ronnie-- Would you please post the contact info for Three Sisters? Thanx.

You got it . . .

https://www.threesistersgardenkankakee.com/

=R=

I just got some Mirai corn from Nichols yesterday at the Evanston market for 6/$5, and it was really good. There have been a few weeks where it was too immature. The people that originated it charge a lot more money than Nichols do. I bought it from them once maybe at the Wilmette market. There is somebody who used to come to the Evanston market, whose corn was almost as good as Nichols, and he was cheaper, but he retired recently.

I was tempted to buy an ear of corn at Jewel on Friday when they had it on sale for $.07 an ear. It was from Indiana, but 90% of the ears had smut in them, and I passed.

Don't know much about corn, but it was fun to review the first page of this thread from the days when Motorola had just opened in Harvard and Blago was governor.

Best corn I've had (so far) this year was last night from a Walmart in central Wisconsin. Unpretentious yet gigantic sweet juicy ears. And the Walmart was stunningly clean and well organized.

Has anybody bought any corn this summer from any of the other farmers at the Evanston market besides Nichols? I've noticed that they are all charging the same price as Nichol's and people are buying it. Maybe Smits are the ones I see lots of people buying corn. Is it as good. When you get to the market later in the morning, you have to dig down in the pile of corn at Nichol's to find the good stuff. One week I was having problems finding good corn, and Todd came over, and replenished the corn with the good stuff, and it was a lot better. I used to buy the majority of my corn from Jon First, and it was 95% as good as Mirai, and he only charged $4 for 6 ears of corn. Unfortunately, he retired recently. He used to sell zucchini 10/$1, and eggplant 5/$1, which is way cheaper than anyone else at the Evanston market. Henry sells a quart of zucchini for $3.50.

BTW- Henry Brockman refuses to grow super sweet corn, because it is too sweet for him. Yesterday he had some variety that is grown in Kenya at the farmer's market. It was only available for the people that are members of his CSA. Somebody that he knows that is originally from Kenya, grows it for him. Did anybody get any of it yesterday?

The problem with the regular corn is that you have to eat it within hours of harvesting it, in order for it to taste good, and that is why I never purchase corn from Henry.

Stopped by the always-charming Woodstock Farmer's Market (there's a reason it was voted Illinois' best) this morning and picked up a dozen ears of Mirai for $9 from the Picasaw stand. Large ears with plump kernels and absolutely delicious.

Nearly a year since this came up, but Mirai is back at the Woodstock farmer's market. Delicious as always.