Rainbow Corn – Real Actual Unicorn Food?
When I discovered this corn I was blown away. It is truly stunning to see. Firstly you think “it can’t be real, can it?” But it is.
Native Americans introduced this beautiful produce. There are several different varieties. The different colours are a sight to behold and the taste is just as you would expect.
The colourful corn was used to make cornmeal and even the husks were turned into baskets and mats.
The Tarahumara Serape
This stunning ruby red variety is more than likely, named after the Tarahumara Native American people of Northern Mexico. It is a gorgeous red coloured corn, with long slender ears.
(Kulli) Black Incan Corn
This is an ancient heritage variety and has been used for thousands of years. Developed by the Incans over 2,500 years ago, the Black Incan Corn was a staple part of their diet.
Chicha is water which the cobs have been soaked in and is still widely drunk across Peru. It is a deep purple colour, due to the number of anthocyanins in the corn.
Oaxacan Green Corn
The Oaxacan was developed by the Zapotec people of Oaxaca, a southern state of Mexico. This Corn has gorgeous green and yellow hues running right through the cob, and is perfect for making cornbread.
Flor Del Rio Popcorn
When I first saw the pictures of the Flor Del Rio Popcorn, I thought “that cannot be real”. The colours are vibrant and beautiful. This range can include all the colours of the rainbow; red, pink, orange, yellow, as well as black and white. I have heard It is as delicious as it looks when made into popcorn.
As this stunning corn collection contains high concentrations of both carotenoid (which is known to decreases the risk of disease) and anthocyanin (a healthy antioxidant) it is not only beautiful, it is also very healthy.
The Long Ear Popcorn
The Cherokee tribe were actually the first Native Americans to develop The Long Ear Popcorn; a maize variety, which is often used to feed livestock, or processed to make food products.
This produced much larger crops, improving the success of the tribe across North America. The long-eared variety can produce a multitude of different coloured kernels too – like sparkling jewels.
Indian Berries Popcorn
This is another heritage variety. It’s a little irregular in size, compared to some of the other varieties and this plant produces sweet round ears, again, in a variety of gorgeous colours.
If I ever go back to North America, I will definitely search for these beautiful corns and trey them for myself.
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