Growing up in Portland and Sweet Home, Oregon, we only ate corn in August. Not by choice. It wasn't available in the grocery store or from nearby farms at any other time.

There was a farm about five miles away that offered "U-pick" corn; my siblings and I would fill a laundry basket, weigh it, bring it to my mom, who would then steam it, poke corn holders www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-corn-holders-image85158 (do people still use these?) in the cobs, and serve on the table with a cube of butter and shaker of salt. Corn was the only vegetable that I liked, and since we only could get it during August, it was a real treat that we all looked forward to.
 
Now, I’m spoiled, and live in an area with farmers markets and grocery stores carrying fresh corn all year round. (That said, I still try to buy it only in late summer because the quality is better. Chalk it up to childhood bias.) I like to make fresh corn in a variety of ways, always off the cob, usually sprinkled with lime and salt.

I streamlined this recipe from Food52, and loved that the corn flavor was so robust, yet the soup itself was very light. It's also vegan, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, Whole30, and comes together in about thirty minutes.

Remember, always try to get the freshest corn possible–the season is almost over!

Adapted from: Food52
Number of servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 ears corn, yellow, white or both varieties (shucked)
• 8 cilantro sprigs plus 2-4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
• ½ cup finely diced white onion
• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon hot or mild paprika
• Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly gound pepper
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• Juice of 1 lime (or more) to taste

Directions

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Slice the corn off the cobs. Place the cobs in a large mixing bowl and slice the corn off the cobs with a sharp knife.
2. Break the cobs and put them in the heating water with the cilantro branches. Simmer for at least 15 minutes–longer if you can (longer the simmer, the more flavorful the broth). Strain.
3. Heat the olive oil, or melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add spices and cook a few minutes more. Add in the coconut milk, corn, 1½ cups corn stock and 1 teaspoon salt. If soup is too thick, thin it with more stock. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice. Taste, adjusting salt if needed. 
4. Add chopped cilantro leaves and serve.

L-R: Jacquie, Michael, Janette, and John (missing little sister Julie), celebrating an August birthday.

Another seasonal (in California, we are in the throes of cherry and corn season) client favorite, this one is quick and simple to prepare, and the colors and ingredients scream summer. The sweetness of the corn with the charred lettuce, tangy pickled cherries, and shallots make for a fresh, vibrant combination.
 
Adapted from Heather Christo
Number of servings: 6

​Ingredients
Pickled Cherries and Shallots

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup pitted cherries, sliced in half (I used Rainier cherries)
• 1 fresno red chili, thinly sliced

Salad

• kosher salt
• 3 hearts of Romaine lettuce, sliced in half
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 ears of corn, shucked

Directions

1. In a small pan, simmer together the red wine vinegar and sugar and cook for about 2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Combine the shallots, cherries and chili slices in a bowl and pour the vinegar-sugar combination in. Cover with saran wrap and set aside.
3. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Rub the cut side of the lettuce and the ears of corn with the olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
4. Grill the corn until cooked and lightly charred on each side. Pull the corn off the grill and set aside. Alternatively, you can microwave the unshucked corn cobs on a plate with a little water for 5-6 minutes. Shuck and set aside.
5. Grill the lettuce briefly (less than a minute) until it just has grill marks and is lightly wilted on the grilled side.
6. Arrange the grilled romaine hearts on a platter.
7. Cut the corn off the cob and combine it with the pickled cherry combo. Season to taste with kosher salt. Top the grilled romaine hearts with the pickled cherry and corn combination and serve immediately.