Food & Drink

Fresh-Picked Silver Rill Corn, the Best on Vancouver Island

By Anita, on August 9th, 2010

SCRIMP: TWO CORN COBS, $1.50 «OR» SPLURGE: TWO DOZEN COBS, $16

If you have never tasted Silver Rill corn, my condolences. Please, don’t deny yourself another day. Grown on Silver Rill farm on the Saanich Peninsula, this is the sweetest, crispest, freshest, most toothsome corn-on-the-cob I’ve ever eaten. Those who find their way to Silver Rill inevitably become devotees.

Some may argue that they have a better source for fresh corn than Silver Rill. Okay, I’ll allow that some other magical corn field may produce cobs this good, but I can’t imagine any corn tasting better.

Honey and I have enjoyed several feeds of Silver corn already this month. (The earliest varieties begin producing in mid- to late July, apparently.) Silver Rill farm grows several different types, and connoisseurs will agree that the flavour and crispness do vary.

We used to limit ourselves just to the Peaches and Cream, which is outrageously good—tender-crisp little niblets that pop between your teeth, releasing sweet, fresh, juicy flavour. This year we’ve branched out. We recently brought home eight cobs for an indulgent meal: four Yellow Supersweet, and four Crunchy Yellow Supersweet. The first is a close rival for Peaches and Cream, just a wee bit more crisp. (We ate at TV tables while watching a movie and, at times, could hardly hear the soundtrack! So much better than popcorn, though.)

The second “Crunchy” variety, though, was disappointing. While it does have a spectacular crunch, it was decidedly starchy (thus overly filling) and lacked the tenderness of the other varieties. We actually didn’t eat two of those cobs. I recommend you take a pass on Crunchy Yellow Supersweet.

If you don’t want to make the drive out to Saanich, you can sometimes fine Silver Rill corn at Thrifty Foods. But it won’t be as fresh—cobs in the Silver Rill bins come straight from the field—and therefore not as sublime.