Corn “Épluchette”
- Annemarie Bolduc
- Aug 21, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 26
Québec corn season is the golden hour of summer and time for the “Épluchette de blé d’Inde”!
The “épluchette de blé d’Inde” is an old Québec tradition that basically means a corn husking party. Sweet corn season runs from mid-July to October, but August is the peak time to buy fresh cobs grown in abundance all over the province. With the husk still on, corn is sold by the half dozen, dozen or large pouches and can be found at road stalls and urban farmers' markets across most regions. Boiled and eaten straight off the cob, it's an easy and affordable food for outdoor gatherings and served alongside barbecue dishes and summer salads. Guests and kids enjoy the husking; this is why it is called an épluchette (from the French verb éplucher, meaning to peel). Blé d’Inde (literally Indian wheat) is the term that Europeans gave corn when they first encountered it on the American continent, mistakenly believing they had reached India. The term is still used by older generations in Québec, though “maïs” is now the proper word for corn (pronounced “mayeesse”, close to "maize"). In Québec fields, many varieties are grown and produced not only for fresh eating, but also for animal feed, popcorn and flour. The best sweet corn variety you’ll find at markets in my home region is the delicious bicolour ones, with yellow and white kernels.
Family time and corn on the cob in Québec • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2019
Since moving to Australia, my visits to Québec usually happen during winter here, so that means summer over there. Rediscovering traditions that once felt ordinary but now feel so special is a real joy. During my 2019 visit, I photographed all about corn: husking cobs with my nephew at the family cottage, enjoying a simple corn-on-the-cob lunch that reminded me of childhood, and capturing golden-hour shots of the fields with my dad (a nature photographer). Corn has been farmed in Australia for human and animal consumption for years, though the domestic market remains smaller. I rarely come across fresh sweet corn with the peel on at summer farmers’ markets here, though sometimes I'll find yellow varieties. Australian sweet corn is sold in supermarkets all year long and often sold as “cobbettes”- small cut pieces of cob, usually served in pubs alongside meat and steamed veggies. Kernels are also used in versatile ways, and corn fritters seem to be the most popular. In Québec, by contrast, canned or frozen kernels are a staple for one of our humble comfort foods, a shepherd’s pie called Pâté Chinois in French, but that is another story!
Corn fields and farmer's market stalls • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2019
More about Québec-style sweet corn on this post: "My Sweet Corn" and my upcoming cookbook. Follow @snowyfoodie and subscribe to my newsletter for updates and offers!
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