Rare corn varieties offer home gardeners history, beauty and outstanding flavor. Two great ways to enjoy these delicious flavors are by traditional cooking methods ? popping (roasting in oil) and parching (dry roasting).

Popping
Popcorn varieties are classified as flint corn, which has a hard shell that protects the starchy, slightly moist embryo inside. When the kernel is heated above 400 degrees, the moisture inside expands, causing an explosion that pops it.

If you're looking for movie theater-quality popcorn, grow ?Robust 128YH,' which is a high-yielding, gourmet corn with glossy yellow kernels. For a denser and chewier, though slightly less productive variety, try ?Japanese Hulless,' an open-pollinated (OP) type that, as the name implies, leaves little of the hulls attached after popping.

Parching
Although popcorn is one of America's favorite snack foods, most of us have never tasted parched corn. Instead of the hard-shelled flint types used for popping corn, parched corn is usually made from softer-shelled flour varieties.

Two corns known for their excellent parching qualities are ?Supai Red,' which has its origins with the Havasupai tribe of the Grand Canyon, and ?Magenta,' a selection from a Hopi variety. ?Sahuarita' and ?Hopi Pink' are also reported to be good for parching.

Any flour corn can be ground to make corn meal, or parched by heating the kernels over medium-low heat in a dry skillet, without oil. Within about five minutes, the kernels should start to swell and split. To avoid burning, be sure to keep them moving by stirring or shaking the pan. It's always wise to hold a lid or screen over the kernels to keep them from popping out. To parch corn in a microwave, put about a quarter cup of corn on a paper plate, cover with another paper plate and cook on high for two to three minutes, until most of the popping stops.

For a fresh taste and healthy snack, once your corn is popped or parched, try adding brewer's yeast, herbs or chili powder instead of butter and salt.

Corn Sources:
Fedco Seeds
Waterville, ME

Johnny's Selected Seeds
Winslow, ME

Native Seeds/SEARCH
Tucson, AZ

Seeds of Change
Henderson, NV

Seed Savers Exchange
Decorah, IA

For more information, read 'Pop and Parch Heirloom Corn' in the April/May 2006 issue of Mother Earth News.