At the end of July every summer—for something over a quarter of a century now—I get into the kitchen and prepare 24 to 30 pounds of corn relish, bottle it in pint Mason jars, label it, and deliver it early on the last Saturday of the month to East Hampton Ladies Village Improvement Society Fair. It’s a tradition I sometimes think about giving up, but by now it is too ingrained in my life for me to become a lapsed relish maker. And as a defector I’d have to duck into a doorway every time I see an LVIS member walking down Main Street, not to mention giving up visits to their world headquarters in the Gardiner-Brown house with its bookstore and thrift shop.
Corn relish is not the most challenging dish to prepare, but it takes a little time and in the large quantities I make, it takes a lot of logistics. I’ve used the same basic formula with variations for years and even contributed my recipe to the LVIS Centennial Cookbook in 1994.
6 cups corn kernels (fresh are lovely, frozen will do)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ cup celery leaves or parsley, chopped
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon tumeric
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 cup cider vinegar
Combine all dry ingredients in a large saucepan, gradually stirring in the vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until liquid thickens slightly. Cool and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.
Don’t hesitate to expand the recipe to the limits of your pots and endurance—and always make some extra to give to friends.