INTRODUCTION

When I set out in 2007 to gather recipes for I Love Corn, it was supposed to be a relatively simple project I would complete as part of a three-month leadership program I was enrolled in through Landmark Education. Although creating an internationally distributed and properly published cookbook was certainly a glimmer of hope in my mind, it was not at all the end goal I had set out to achieve in those three months. At the time, I clearly did not realize the magnitude of what was fully possible.

On Valentine’s Day 2004, I lost my father, Henry “Hank” Skokowski. He was six weeks into a two-month, soul-searching dream vacation in New Zealand and Australia, when he was hit and killed by a drunk driver while driving a motorcycle along the Great Ocean Road. On that morning, I felt my world come crumbling down, and that is how I continued to feel for the next six months as I struggled to deal with the loss of my father while simultaneously picking up the pieces of the life he left behind to my brother and me. Fortunately I have amazing friends and a small but loving family who helped me emotionally, physically, and spiritually through this difficult time.

Many people reading this may know what it is like to lose a parent. Happily, others have not experienced this life-altering tragedy. On some level, I feel that all of us—regardless of the circumstances in our own lives—can empathize with the inner earthquake that results from such a loss. Not only do we have to deal with the emotional devastation, but also, amid swimming in a sea of sadness, the details of your parent’s life have to be attended to—and those details can be quite overwhelming in the middle of grief.

I have always wanted to give back in some way as a token of appreciation and gratitude to the universe as a result of the incredible support I received during that time in my life. The result of that burning desire is this cookbook. Why call it I Love Corn, you ask? Well, for one thing, I do love corn! I love it in salads, salsas, and muffins; I own a corn-shaped timer, a wooden corn-shaped serving bowl, corn magnets, and I always have a stockpile of canned corn in my pantry. Corn goes great with everything! Okay, okay. I also chose to write this cookbook because I run in circles with many generous and loving chefs, both professional and lay, and so it felt like a natural way to gather my community to support a worthy cause.

Awhile back, I discovered The Dougy Center (www.dougy.org), an amazing organization that gives much-needed support to children and families grieving the loss of mothers, fathers, or siblings. I am thrilled to know that professional organizations exist solely for the purpose of helping others with what my brother and I dealt with when our dad died. A large portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this book will be donated to The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon.

If you are reading this now, you may have an active interest in making a difference in the lives of children who have lost a parent, you may be someone who just loves corn—or perhaps you’re both, just like me!

From flapjacks to fritters to fancy fresh ice cream, this book is about to blow your mind with the diversity of dishes you’ll find possible using our favorite vegetable—corn! The best part is that, if you’re like me, you won’t be able to decide which one you like the most. In which case, you’ll just have to try them all!

Starting with breakfast, you’ll be surprised by Peter Giannakas’s Corn Flapjacks with Fresh Ricotta, when the crunch of the cornmeal, followed by the swirl of sweet and creamy cheese, tantalizes your taste buds first thing in the morning. Although, maybe you’re in the mood for something more savory, and so you whip up a batch of farmerbrown owner Jay Foster’s Jalapeño Corn Muffins with a good old-fashioned pat of butter. These moist morsels can also be saved and paired in the afternoon when you’re serving Brooklyn-based Guillaume Thivet’s Fresh Corn Gazpacho, exploding with such flavors as garlic, jalapeño, fresh basil, and lime. Guillaume says it reminds him of his home in the south of France, which couldn’t be farther from the influence of Hong Thaimee’s delicious Chiang Mai Sweet Corn Fritters made with coconut and curry. She pairs these tasty treats with a tangy cucumber relish that is, as she says, “so simple to make.” I wonder if one batch will be enough!

As the day carries on, you may find you have meat and potatoes on your mind. In that case, Seth Koslow’s Sliced Sirloin with Spicy Corn, Shiitake, and Bacon Salsa will delight your dinner guests when the juicy beef goodness melds with the mushrooms and beautiful bacon flavors. Seafood lovers will celebrate when James Beard Award–winning chef Gabriel Rucker pleases your palate with his Roasted Salmon topped with a complex Corn Salad with a kick and fresh green herbs. And I personally rejoice the day Jimmy Bradley came up with his Warm Jersey Corn Salad recipe—I swear, I made it at least five times in the first five weeks I had my hands on it. It’s super easy, and a slam dunk of satisfaction every time—for vegetarians, corn lovers, and just about everyone else alike.

Another home-run recipe comes from Martha Stewart, who donated her method for making Caramelized Corn with Shallots—the perfect side dish to bring to a potluck feast along with North Carolina–native Jonathan Bennett’s Yankee Corn Bread, which he serves at Moxie, the Restaurant, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Last but definitely not least, this book concludes with the icing on the cake—cornmeal cake, that is. Yes, I’m talking about dessert! Allen Stafford’s Fresh Corn Ice Cream is absolutely positively out of this world. It is not at all what you’re expecting (whatever that is), and you will want to eat the entire batch. Trust me. Amanda Cohen, who owns Dirt Candy in New York City, rocks your mind with her Popcorn Pudding with Salted Caramel Corn and Butterscotch Sauce. Whoa! Pichet Ong doesn’t disappoint with his Corn Crema with Cherries and Bourbon Chantilly …

You get the picture! This book makes me love corn even more than I loved it before, which—for those who know me—is unbelievable.

Before you venture into the wide world of corn yumminess ahead of you, I want to thank you for your time, love, and contribution. I believe in my heart that none of us are alone in this thing called life, and I am grateful to have you as a means for continued creation of abundance all around us!

Say it with me, “Mmm … CORN!”