Burnt fingers are no fun at the best of times. They’re especially not fun when you’re trying to negotiate just-off-the-grill hot corn, stop melted butter from running down your chin, and look cool in front of your buddies. But there’s an easy solution in corn holders (though not guaranteed to assist with the dribbling butter scenario). There’s nothing fancy about these essential BBQ accessories, they’re basically just little prongs that spear into either end of a corn cob with attachments that act as handles for you to grab and clasp while gnawing at the niblets.
Sure you can find simple, functional, monochrome iterations that handle the task perfectly well, but for me the best corn holders are the ones with a real sense of humor. I mean the kind that become the talking point of the party. The kind that you have to watch don’t get swiped by your faithful pals at the end of the evening because there’s nothing quite as hilarious – after that many beers- than a corn cob with the top half of a pig in a farmer’s outfit in one end, and its rotund hind quarters in dungarees at the other!
Here’s a round-up of the cheesiest, kitschiest and most swipe-worthy corn holders around. Snap ’em up before summer’s gone!
Top left: Outrageous headgear, crazy sunnies and flamboyant pants – essential ingredients for the best cookouts. These “Barbecue Folk” corn holders from Sur La Table are £5.99 for 4 “pairs”.
Top middle: Flip flops in your corn? And why not – especially when they are as stylish as these colorful cuties. $9.97 for 4 “pairs” from Improvementscatalog.com.
Top right: I know, these look a little too, um classy, to be ranked among the rest of these cheesy culprits. They probably have no right to be here, but I couldn’t help it, they looked so pretty that I had to include them. The holders are hand-painted, made of ceramic and come a variety of colors from cobalt blue to cranberry and lilac. Available from QVC, for $18.87 for 2 sets.
Bottom left: “Made for your corn-venience,” says the marketing literature. How can you resist? I don’t know if you can see, but these mini corns have little tufts of hair too! Available from FamousFoods.com, $2.99 for 2 holders.
Bottom middle: A set of four hand-painted barnyard buddies in quirky get-ups from Sur La Table (£6.99).
Bottom right: Adorable pooches to adorn your corn. No doubt the kids, and the kids-at-heart, will be amused no end when it comes to sticking their cute lil butts (the corn holders’, I mean!) into their food. From Bed, Bath and Beyond ($9.99)
Tags: corn holders