What is this divine delicacy, you can ask?  For many of you around the world, this version of corn-on-the-cob might seem very…foreign; but for us Latin Americans straight from the lands from Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, it’s a delicious street snack found in many a corner or highway.  More on the Honduran version of street corn can be found in my Honduran cuisine encyclopedia, here.

But today we honor our Mexican-American friends with this post of a more traditional type of street corn in an attempt to entice their palates on their Cinco de Mayo festivities!  This particular version gets its inspiration from the well-known elote loco: piping hot corn on the cob is smeared with a mayonnaise dressing and dredged with white cheese, fresh cilantro, chili powder, lime, and plenty of salt & pepper.  It might sound weird, but it’s incredibly tasty (and messy) – and usually set on pinchos, which add to the whole street-food vibe.  I thought this recipe of mine was a great ‘guest-appropriate’ friendly-sized serving solution.  Plus, they looked amazing on the table as awesome decor for your Cinco de Mayo party!

In an attempt to clarify, Cinco de Mayo is most definitely not to be mistaken with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is the most important holiday in Mexico celebrated on September 16 commemorating the Cry of Dolores in 1810 that initiated the war of Mexican Independence from Spain.  In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration with plenty of tacos & tequila held on May 5th observed to commemorate the Mexican Army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  Obviously one has nothing to do with the other, and it’s funny how Cinco de Mayo has taken on a much bigger significance in the United States than in Mexico, having become more of a celebration of today’s ever-growing Mexican-American culture.

For the Elotes Locos

• 6 whole corn cobs
• 2 cups of white farmer’s cheese, grated
• 1 cup of sour cream (or better yet, crema mexicana)
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• Olive oil
• lime wedges & fresh parsley to garnish

Prepare the grill, or grill pan on your stove top.  Mix seasoning blend: add all the spices and mix with olive oil.  Set aside.  Prepare corn, rinse, dry, & cut in halves for guest friendly portions.  Coat each nibblet in olive oil spice mix and grill until corn begins to char ever so lightly.  Remove the corn from the girl and brush with the melted butter.  Sprinkle some additional spice blend on corn, top with the crema mexicana, grated cheese, and some additional chili powder.  Garnish with green onions and serve with a lime wedge on pincho sticks.  Be prepared to be delighted by this flavor-infused treat!