Topic: Best (hard) corn variety for the UK?

[cropping]

Hello everybody,

I am looking for a variety of corn that grows well in the UK. Ideally, I would like some "hard corn" or the type of corn you use for popcorn, as opposed to sweetcorn. I tried this year, but the corn I chose is not maturing fast enough...

Thanks for any help!

[Paulh]

I've never grown popping corn but there seem to be a few varieties available in the UK: Fiesta (Suttons), Robust (Simply Seeds) and the intriguing looking Strawberry (Victoriana Nursery).

Perhaps someone else can be more helpful.

[JanG]

I’ve grown Fiesta and it matured quickly enough. I haven’t tried popping it though. I was intending to experiment with grinding it into some kind of flour but haven’t got round to it yet.

[cropping]

Hi Paulh & JanG,

Thanks for your answers. I will try the Fiesta next year, thank for the advice. I just mentioned "popping corn" so people get the idea. I also want to either make a flour out of it, or just cook it directly. Right now, I am using popping corn to cook my mexican stew (essentially corn, beans and tomato).

Cheers

[cropping]

JanG,

I did a quick search on the internet, and I can see there are both heirloom and F1 seeds for the Fiesta corn... The heirloom variety seems to require a long season to mature... Which one did you use?

Cheers

[JanG]

JanG,

I did a quick search on the internet, and I can see there are both heirloom and F1 seeds for the Fiesta corn... The heirloom variety seems to require a long season to mature... Which one did you use?

I used the heirloom version. I probably have spare saved seed if you have any trouble getting hold of it and want to pm me.

Interesting to use hard corn for cooking with. Does it take long soaking and/or cooking? And are the results different from using frozen sweet kernels? I guess that perhaps the main difference is simply whether you prefer to use freezer space or open shelf space for storage?


Cheers

[JanG]

I haven’t mastered or mistressed the art of responding using a quotation. Hope it’s possible to sort out the answer from the quote in the last message.

[gray1720]

I haven’t mastered or mistressed the art of responding using a quotation. Hope it’s possible to sort out the answer from the quote in the last message.

Just make sure your text is after the [/quote] and you should be fine.

[cropping]

Hi JanG,

Great, thanks! I found some heirloom seeds on the internet, so I should be fine thanks. I do prefer heirloom so I can save the seeds.

Cheers

[Vinlander]

There are various "parching" corn varieties available that were bred for good flavour in a dried corn - these should be good for tasty flour.

I don't know if it would pop instead of parching but I suggest you google the term before trying it. Opinions vary.

Toasted flour (Gofio) is a big thing in the Canaries. I like the flavour, but I prefer to toast linseed & put it through the coffee grinder for a similar but richer taste (in my muesli).

I grew some blue corn once that was a nice flavour when chewed - though eating the whole thing took about half an hour per cob - a good exercise to break a gobbling habit!  I couldn't be bothered with processing it any further.

Cheers.