Eric King (@easygayoven across all platforms), who crafted his corn cream trifles by utilizing both kernels and cobs, believes that using corn embodies both its seasonal qualities and taste. His rendition of a knickerbocker glory—a classic British dessert composed of whipped cream, ice cream, wafer cookies, and fruit—features peaches and nectarines enveloped in a gently sweet corn pastry cream. “It’s somewhat grassy and earthy,” he states. “It effectively counters sweetness.”
King’s corn pastry cream surfaced in Erika Kwee’s delightful corn layer cake a few weeks post its introduction. Other dishes, like Justine Doiron’s (@justine_snacks) butter oat corn cookies, capitalize on the texture of the kernels, which she claims provide “chewiness and texture to cookies.”
At Komal in Los Angeles, one of Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurants of 2025, corn showcases itself in yet another guise: jelly. This is a pre-Hispanic Oaxacan treat known as nicuatole made solely from corn, water, and cinnamon—the natural starch within the corn facilitates its transformation into a jiggly, jelled delight. Chef Fátima Juárez adorns the nicuatole with piped strawberry whipped cream and hibiscus, but she emphasizes that the corn itself is a primary flavor element. She employs a particular heirloom Mexican corn variety called chalqueña cremoso which imparts a subtly milky taste to the jelly.
However, as she elucidates, corn’s adaptability is astounding, and Juárez’s nicuatole is merely one of her many corn-based dessert concepts. She envisions chocolate tortillas, corn cookies, and conchas—it all hinges on capturing the distinct flavors and fragrances inherent in heirloom corn. Certain types unveil a delightful nutty essence, while others exude a vibrant fruitiness akin to red berries.
As one begins to recognize the specific flavors present in heirloom corn, “you’ll notice the variances in taste notes,” Juárez remarks. “It’s akin to sipping tea or wine.”
Juárez’s Komal stands among an increasing number of restaurants nationwide dedicating their offerings to heirloom corn varieties sourced from Mexico. Establishments like For all Things Good in Brooklyn, and Oro by Nixta in Minneapolis, another of Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurants of 2024, are viewing heirloom corn both for its taste and its sustainability.
“It’s vital to conserve the biodiversity of corn and to support Mexican farmers,” asserts Juárez. But, in skilled hands, heirloom corn can be transformed into virtually anything. “You can offer it hot or cold, in bread, in a jelly, or in a beverage. You mention it.”
