Another Fourth of July has come and gone. Booming fireworks have vanished only to leave a starry loneliness to the night sky. The remnants of Uncle Sam’s heyday – smoldering coals, patriotic balloons, and firecracker wrappers – are slowly fading away like a hopscotch game drawn in chalk.
Independence Day isn’t complete without a barbecue, and this year was no exception. It even welcomed an addition to the ever-expanding world of cooking utensils. Next to knives, tongs, whisks, basting brushes and spatulas, now sits the Corn Zipper.
This handy stainless steel apparatus slices corn kernels off the cob without the danger and imprecision offered by more common cutlery. It’s a perfect gadget for those who hate biting into corn on the cob. Though sadly, it leaves one wondering what to do with those little plastic yellow picks designed for (and modeled after) corn that has not been de-cobbed.
The Corn Zipper made its debut at the backyard bash my brother and I hosted the weekend of the Fourth. We had no trial runs before the party. After all, if the Zipper couldn’t stand the heat, it had no place in the kitchen. We purchased a dozen ears of corn and fired up the grill. Somewhere between husking the corn and sprinkling the salt, the Zipper went from conversation piece to culinary superstar. The commonplace grilling tools, scarred and shabby due to years of use, could do nothing but look on in envy of this shiny new toy.
But did it work? I’m pleased to say it stayed true to its claim, clipping kernels neatly onto a plate without slipping or cutting into the cob. It took a few tries to get the technique just right, but before long I was gladly zipping samples for all attendees to relish. My one complaint was that it takes off only one row (or column?) of kernels at a time. Had my party been any larger, carpal tunnel might have set in.
All in all, I give this product two thumbs up. For those who like to eat their corn daintily, please welcome the Corn Zipper. God bless America.
