Years ago when I had a big garden, I tried to “put up” as much as I could. It seemed that if I had a full cupboard of home canned fruit and veggies, the winter would go well. If my cupboard was meager, the winter usually meant hard times for my family. It happened often enough to warn me to be prepared.

I usually planted more than enough. After all, if it was a dry summer, my harvest could be lean. Needless to say, I usually gathered more than we could use. Corn was a favorite vegetable at our house. I canned whole kernel corn with a teaspoon of sugar in each quart. Have you tried that? The sugar enhances the flavor of the corn.

I canned corn relish, too. However, I never found a recipe I really liked. Most recipes were too sour for our taste or just not quite right. Canning corn relish was a waste of time for me. Then I found a recipe for corn salad in a magazine. I tried it and liked it. That is the recipe I will share with you today.

Let me digress a bit. When we were first married, money was tight. My husband and I both worked but we were trying to build a house on the pay-as-you-go basis. Buying a cookbook was an out of reach luxury. A ten cent magazine wasn't. I clipped recipes from magazines and the Wednesday newspaper food section. Back in the day, recipes were simpler. Nowadays, you almost need to take out a loan to buy the exotic ingredients that make up recipes in current magazines. Over the years I have pared down and shared my stash of recipes with family and friends. I still search the used book section of thrift store for old recipe books, so I am still collecting recipes, even at ninety.

I like the taste of white vinegar with corn, rather than cider vinegar. Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste.

CORN RELISH SALAD

16-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 green pepper diced
1 tablespoon diced pimiento
1 rib celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl mix together corn, green pepper, pimiento, celery and onion. In a small bowl combine vegetable oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, dry mustard and sugar Add dressing to mixed vegetables. Gently stir to mix well. Cover and chill 24 hours. Makes 6 servings.