THREE SISTERS

[Fluffnpuff]

Got an update on the corn "sister". I started harvesting the tn red cob milling corn and the bloody butcher derivative (pungo creek butcher) and discovered an interesting cross.

Pictured below is the cross next to a regular all white tn milling corn ear



A close up of the cross


Aside from the mixture of blue and white kernels, notice that the white kernels have red swirls in them. I can't wait to make cornmeal out of them.

On the topic of cornmeal i'm having some setbacks on making meal solely from dark red bloody butcher kernels. All the homemade cornmeal i've made has been thicker and heartier than store bought but the bloody butcher cornmeal simply won't rise. Like it won't rise period.

The recipe i use is 3/4 cup milk, 1 tbsp honey or sorghum, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup cornmeal, and 1 egg.

I assume the difficulty arises from using unsifted meal, but is there anything i can do to make it "fluffier"?

 

[Arielle]

Got an update on the corn "sister". I started harvesting the tn red cob milling corn and the bloody butcher derivative (pungo creek butcher) and discovered an interesting cross.

Pictured below is the cross next to a regular all white tn milling corn ear



A close up of the cross


Aside from the mixture of blue and white kernels, notice that the white kernels have red swirls in them. I can't wait to make cornmeal out of them.

On the topic of cornmeal i'm having some setbacks on making meal solely from dark red bloody butcher kernels. All the homemade cornmeal i've made has been thicker and heartier than store bought but the bloody butcher cornmeal simply won't rise. Like it won't rise period.

The recipe i use is 3/4 cup milk, 1 tbsp honey or sorghum, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup cornmeal, and 1 egg.

I assume the difficulty arises from using unsifted meal, but is there anything i can do to make it "fluffier"?

Is the colored ear a cross of blody butcher and the TN milling corn??? It is rather pretty with the white kernels swriled with red!!

Interesting problem with the corn that is wont rise. Perhaps their is a level of starch that is different between the types; or perhaps the protein levels . I'm thinking of how the proteins are important in bread making, the gluten formation to hold pockets of air. I'm a baker but honestly I dont know a whole lot about the old grains compared to the commerically available flours of today.

Two foods for thought:: THe Egyptians of long ago where known as " the Bread eaters" to the Greeks. THe consumption was 5# of bread alotments to the soldiers. THe result was badly worn teeth. ( Thanks to the thousands of mummies) Perhaps there really is value to making a gruel rather than breads. AND perhaps there is value in finer grinds than very coarse grinds in bread baking.

Thanks for posting the picutres-- that corn is beautiful.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

Is the colored ear a cross of blody butcher and the TN milling corn??? It is rather pretty with the white kernels swriled with red!!

Yeah its a cross between tn red cob milling corn and butcher.

 

[Chipper Chicken]

Brought my Blue Hopi and the Golden Bantam in to dry

These two were cool because of the dark red silk and the redder husks than the others


The Painted Mountain didn't do as well, just too much clay soil I think. Found a few incomplete stubby ears I'll still try to save for seed but maybe buy more as well.

Can't wait to try the blue cornmeal......maybe a mix.....

Maybe some extra moisture in the oven, from say a pan of water, would help with the bloody butcher? (Idea from King Arthur Whole Grain Baking, page 555)

 

[Arielle]

Brought my Blue Hopi and the Golden Bantam in to dry




These two were cool because of the dark red silk and the redder husks than the others


The Painted Mountain didn't do as well, just too much clay soil I think. Found a few incomplete stubby ears I'll still try to save for seed but maybe buy more as well.

Can't wait to try the blue cornmeal......maybe a mix.....

Maybe some extra moisture in the oven, from say a pan of water, would help with the bloody butcher? (Idea from King Arthur Whole Grain Baking, page 555)

THe wonders of varieities that you are bound to find corn that will do welll , ok, and also those that dont do so well. Fun trying out different varieite to see what will work in your soil and climate. IT is a challenege, a ndw challenge as our ancesters knew what to plant and now we go thru trial and error.

Thanks for sharing the gorgeous corn.

 

[mamb58]

Yes for Three Sisters you NEED to use a tall corn (ie Flint/Dent)
The Indians grew meal corn not sweet corn
I for one prefer roasting ears from dent over sweet any day
Yes cucumbers or zucchini even can be used for the squash
Good Garding

 

[Arielle]

Yes for Three Sisters you NEED to use a tall corn (ie Flint/Dent)
The Indians grew meal corn not sweet corn
I for one prefer roasting ears from dent over sweet any day
Yes cucumbers or zucchini even can be used for the squash
Good Garding

Roasting the ears sounds truly yummy. At what stage do you harvest it? IS there a trick to know when it is ready for fresh eating??

Edited because I cant spell, lol.

 

[Arielle]

What I learned from my garden thisyear::

Clear more trees as a long sunny day is a must.
Develop an irrigation system to get more water to the plants during a drought year like THIS year.
Use some manure but dont plant in hills of it as it doesnt retain moisture.
THe composting manure sprouted the seeds( squash) the fastest.

 

[mamb58]

When the color of the silk starts to change it is at roasting ear stage
Also remember to check hardness too

 

[Arielle]

When the color of the silk starts to change it is at roasting ear stage
Also remember to check hardness too

Hardness? As in pull open an ear and put your thumb nail thru the kernel?


edited because I still cant spell.