About two months ago, I was sitting with a friend at the A16 chef's bar. For me, it's really the only place to sit in the restaurant when you are dining solo or with one other person. From that vantage point, you can check out what the chefs are doing, and watch the rhythm of restaurant. My friend, Jenn, mentioned that she'd like to try the corn. "You can order it, but I won't have any," I told her. It's one of my quirks: I hate eating corn on the cob in public. In the privacy of my own home, maybe. But I avoid it when anyone is watching.
I should have known better than to think that the A16 chefs would give us a large ear of corn to gnaw on. Their preparation is usually rather elegant, and they had figured out the perfect way to serve it. Slicing each ear of corn into rounds about 2 inches in width made the corn into small bits that were easy to eat but didn't give up the flavor that you can only get from corn on the cob.
A serving of corn was placed into the brick oven so that each piece could cook and get a little charred. After a short while, it was taken out and placed into a large metal bown. Olive oil was added, along with salt and pepper. The corn was tossed around so it could be coated with olive oil, and it was served. Perfection.