Stick ’em Up: The Many Faces of Corn on a Stick
Seattle's newest novelty food craze is roasty, toasty and, oh, so good.
By Allison Austin Scheff December 31, 1969
Category: Eat + Drink Articles
Just a year ago, there was nary a roasted-corn stand in sight. Today? There are at least four in Seattle: one in White Center; one on Beacon Hill; I’ve even spied one downtown at Fourth and Pine. But my favorite spot for sweet, hot corn-on-a-stick ($2.50) is at Tony’s Market (West Seattle, 9050 35th Ave. SW; 206.937.6760), where, since March, shop owner Tony Genvale’s son, Joey Genvale, has been cooking the cobs in their husks in a bright-blue Corn Husker machine, which roasts the corn at a sweltering 650 degrees. He husks the piping-hot corn while you wait, pushing a stick into the end to make a handle, and then paints on a savory series of toppings—butter, mayo, powdered Parmesan cheese, a nice shower of mild or spicy chili seasoning and a few pumps of Realemon spray. It’s a messy treat, but with the sweet corn bursting with each bite and the butter dribbling down your chin, you won’t be complaining.
Photo by Danielle Leavell