Cope's Dried Sweet Corn

Dried Sweet Corn

People unfamiliar with traditional dried sweet corn may think we're talking about popcorn when we mention Cope's Dried Sweet Corn. Yes, both are made by drying corn, but there are significant differences. 

• Cope's corn is the type of corn bred for sweetness and intended to be eaten either on the cob, canned, or frozen.
• Popcorn kernels are bred to have a hard shell-like exterior and a starchy soft center.  This center is the fluffy outside you get on popcorn when the popping process causes the kernel to explode and turn inside out.
• Unlike dried sweet corn, popcorn kernels have non-porous hulls that trap steam when heated, When the steam builds up, the resulting pressure causes the corn to pop.
• Another difference between the two is the time of harvesting. Cope's corn is harvested when the kernels are at their height of moist tenderness.
• Since popcorn, if it is to be popped cannot have a moisture content of more than 25%, it isn't picked until the plant turns brown.

As far as using them for cross purposes, never the twain shall meet. Popcorn is too dry and brittle to cook. If you boil it, the inside may cook but the thick dried hull will remain tough and rather than being chewable will be stringy.  And just like when it's popped, the hulls will get stuck in your teeth. So yes, while boiled popcorn may be edible, eating it will not be pleasurable. On the other when Cope's sweet corn is dried, the drying process concentrates its sugar, making its center too soft and starchy to allow it to pop.

Dried sweet corn is a favorite in farming communities where they reconstitute it, cook it with other wholesome ingredients, and serve it as a side dish. The Pennsylvania Dutch regard Cope's corn as a Thanksgiving tradition. They add sweet cream and seasonings, then bake it in a casserole. 

And if you try it once it will become a tradition in your home, not only when it's Thanksgiving but any time of year you feel like eating corn. And here's another idea, if you crumble and season it, you can toss it on your dinner salads. So next time you place an order with Pennsylvania General Store, why not stock up on Cope's Corn . We sell it in packs of three as well as in cases of twelve. And if you have relatives who won't be coming for Thanksgiving you can send Thanksgiving to them. We ship UPS Standard all over the country and do so within one to three business days.