Corn is Ripe

The sweet corn crop is ready and showing up in the agropecuario and markets. I miss the fresh corn back home (WNY). By fresh, I mean they pick it around 3-4pm and folks buy it at the stand in the front yard on their way home from work at 5. Or even better, a vegetable stand that'll pick a baker's dozen while you wait!
The best I can do for fresh down here is probably 16 hours or so. It's probably picked and trucked to market overnight.
Another strange detail in Mexico is that the corn is all white corn. Mexicans don't have the variety of hybrids in any of their produce. They grow white corn for people and yellow, or field corn, for animals. Even the primary end product, tortillas, are usually made from white corn.
An interesting side note. I read a few months ago that down in Jalisco and other nearby Mexican states, farmers are clearing away blue agave (the source of tequila!) and planting corn. They can bring in more money selling the corn to the USA to produce ethanol than the profits from distilling tequila.
Nisson's main North American plant is here in Aguascalientes. Perhaps they can develop a hybrid that'll run on tequila. Then everyone will be served.

Send Me Your Best Garbage

Last week I spent a couple days preparing Garbage Plate courses. It turned out great as always and I imagine it shortened my life expectancy by another day or two.
You DO know about the Garbage Plate, I hope. If not, refer to: Post of September, 20, 2006 ... or hop over to Nick Tahou's menu.
While their hot sauce is sacred and not to be messed with, the other components are fairly flexible ... mundane. We're talkin'

• Base Layer: macaroni salad, home fries, french fries, beans.
• Layer two: Two red hots -or- white hots, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, Italian sausages, chicken tenders, or haddock.
• Layer three: chopped onions, prepared mustard, hot sauce and Tabasco.

The basic premise is that the ingredients are all safe to eat (mas o menos) but, shall we say, generic. For example, using Kraft Singles or Velveeta instead of generic cheese food for the cheeseburgs would be overkill. The Plate makes no claims as being health food and one should feel no shame in having a few Alka Seltzer, Gaviscom or other antacids for dessert.

But what I'd love to create (with your help) is a Gourmet Garbage Plate. Please submit your bestest recipes for macaroni salad (homemade mayo, shallots, etc.), baked beans, burgers (best fat %) or hot dogs (brand?), etc. Of course the Italian bread on the side would be artisan or homemade, along with butter (flavored) instead of oleo!

So join right in and send in comments and sources.

PS - You'll notice I took a bit of a break (16 months).