Dentists and Corn on the Cob Go Together for Labor Day

18 Aug Dentists and Corn on the Cob Go Together for Labor Day

When she was a kid, Bradenton dentist Dr. Tiffany Boyd and her family used to fire up the grill every year for the traditional Labor Day barbecue. Between dental school and establishing her own dental practice in Bradenton, Florida, there just never seemed enough time to organize a holiday get together. She missed the laughter and the sound of burgers sizzling on the grill. But mostly she missed the taste of sweet summer corn.

This year, Dr. Boyd – and the whole team at her Bradenton dental office will be taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures of the Labor Day holiday. And for Dr. Boyd, that will include sweet corn! 

The Sweetest Sweet Corn

If you talk to a Florida farmer who grows sweet corn, they will probably tell you that most of us overcook corn on the cob. So, if your plans for the upcoming Labor Day weekend include corn on the cob, you might want to reconsider your methods of preparing the corn. 

If you want to enjoy the crisp sweetness of fresh corn, you should bring a pot of water to a boil, drop the corn in and boil it for 3 minutes. That’s right, just three short minutes. Try it and tell us if you don’t taste the difference! 

With Covid-19, this isn’t the year for big parties on the long weekend, but if your Labor Day plans include a backyard barbecue with a few socially distanced friends and family, you might also want to think about the possibility of finding room on your grill for some corn. 

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay shared his recipe for perfectly grilled corn on the cob on the Food Network website. After warming your grill up to a medium heat, he says you should:

• Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base and remove the silk from each ear. After pulling the husks back up, soak the corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.
• When the 10 minutes is up, it’s time to put the corn on the grill. Keep the cover closed. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes until the corn is tender. While it’s cooking, turning it every 5 minutes. 
• You can remove the husks before you serve it. Chef Flay recommends serving it with the BBQ Butter and/or Herb Butter he includes with his recipe.
• Enjoy!

And don’t forget to floss before you go to bed! (Any self-respecting dentist in Bradenton would have to say that, right?)