Special to The Detroit News

I wait all year to stalk the aisles of the farmers market to hunt for ripe, peak-season fruits and vegetables.

As a chef, there’s nothing better than cooking with seasonal, freshly picked produce grown by a local farmer. We’re taught early in our training that the key to any great dish begins with the best quality ingredients, making this one of the most exciting cooking times of the year.

Right now, we have two of our favorite seasonal champions in abundance — sweet corn and tomatoes. Just harvested, they’re brought to market full of nutrients and bursting with bold flavors, requiring little effort to taste great. A drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper is enough to make them shine. Sometimes, they’re best with nothing at all.

Even though they are flavorful enough to stand on their own, this powerhouse duo is even better together. There’s something magical about how the acidity from the tomato brightens the sweetness, while the corn tempers the tomatoes’ acid in return. This contrast creates balance in a dish and across the tongue, and a nostalgic part of summer celebrations.

Michigan ranks second only to California for agricultural production and is among the top seven tomato and top 15 sweet corn producers in the country. According to michigangrown.org, we grow 132,000 tons of tomatoes, 60 million pounds of them for the fresh market, worth an annual value of $35.5 million.

Michigan also produces 86 million pounds of sweet corn grown for the fresh market, worth $21.8 million annually. The rest becomes animal feed or are made into industrial products. The good news for us is these two are in season through September, so there’s still time to take advantage of them.

On a recent visit to the Royal Oak Farmers Market, I met with some vendors to hear more about what they’re growing. They shared how their season is going and offered some tips for selecting and storing the best produce.

Corn

Ken Penzien of Penzien’s Farm and Greenhouses in Imlay City, about 55 miles from Detroit, farms 1,000 acres, 30 dedicated to vegetables, six of which are sweet corn. A Royal Oak market vendor since 1988, he preventively plants new rows every few weeks to keep a steady supply of product available, called succession planting. It also protects him from weather and disease setbacks, which become more challenging every year.

“There’s a big difference between now and when I started out farming with the weather, diseases, pests and weeds,” said Penzien. “Earlier this year I had 60 acres out of 100 covered with water, and we lost a lot, but not all.”

Penzien insists on not opening an ear when selecting corn, and instead, feeling the entire cob to make sure it’s solid the whole way down. The husk is a natural casing that keeps it fresh and husking it breaks that seal. In the husk, the corn stays fresh up to a week in the refrigerator, but husked it deteriorates within two days. Always keep corn refrigerated until ready to cook.

The husk is a natural casing that keep it fresh and husking it breaks the seal.

Tomatoes

Farmer Michael VanHoutte of VanHoutte Brothers works the land in Armada about 45 miles northeast of Detroit. He tends 1,500 cherry tomato plants, 4,000 medium-sized slicing tomato plants and 1,000 Romas. For him, the chilly spring weather delayed planting for about two weeks.

Diseases and weather are a challenge for tomatoes this year, too, especially with the heirloom varietals, which tend to be more susceptible.

“The dew in the morning brings everything that’s in the air down onto the plants and it causes a lot of damage,” said VanHoutte. Fortunately, there are better hybrids available today that are more expensive as seeds, but the plants do better.

When it comes to selecting tomatoes, he believes any tomato can be perfect. For him, it doesn’t have to be pretty, it’s just about flavor. “Blemishes don’t matter, they can just be cut off,” explained VanHoutte. “Some of the ugliest tomatoes are the best tasting.”

VanHoutte suggested bypassing the refrigerator and storing tomatoes on the counter in a cool spot, stem down, and away from direct sunlight. Tomatoes have enzymes that react to cold temperatures and break down the cell membranes, which leaves them mealy. If you must refrigerate them, it’s preferable to bring them to room temperature before using. Refrigerated tomatoes are best suited for dishes that require cooking them.

Bypassing the refridgerator and store tomatoes on the counter in a cool spot, stem down, and away from direct sunlight.

Grilled Corn With Flavored Butters

Compound butters are great to have on hand and work well with other vegetables and meats. Brush some over an ear or put a dollop in the pan to sauté kernels. These recipes call for unsalted butter but will also work with salted.

Grilled corn served with flavored butters adds subtle variety to this classic summer treat.

Southwest Butter

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon lime zest

½ teaspoon lime juice

½ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

New Orleans Cajun Butter

2 teaspoons blackened Cajun seasoning

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

Garlic Herb Butter

½ cup chopped herbs such as parsley, mint, basil, chives, dill or a mix

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon lemon zest

Directions for all: Blend ½ pound of room temperature butter with desired seasoning using a food processor, mixer or by hand until well combined. Can be stored wax paper and frozen for up to six months.

Sauteed Sweet Corn With Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Green Onion

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 green onions sliced, using both white and green

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

2 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears)

½ cup fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, basil, mint, dill or a mix

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Sauteed Sweet Corn With Fresh Herbs, Garlic and Green Onion

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the green onions and sauté two to three minutes. Add the garlic and corn, and cook until tender and beginning to brown, around 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Makes 2 cups

Baked Feta With Confit Tomatoes and Basil

Confit is the French term for “cooking submerged in fat.” It’s done over long periods at low temperatures and has been used for centuries as a food preservation technique. The tomatoes become deeply flavorful and sweet, making the perfect partner to the tangy feta as a warm spreadable appetizer.

2 cups whole sweet cherry tomatoes

6–7-ounce block of feta, removed from brine

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 sprigs of basil

Pinch crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

½ cup (or more) olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and dry the tomatoes. Place the feta square in the middle of a glass pie dish. Surround with the tomatoes, garlic, basil and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper and salt. Pour the olive oil over the ingredients to coat about halfway up the pan.

Bake until tomatoes are soft and start to brown, between 30 to 45 minutes. Serve hot with crackers or fresh bread.

Serves 4 to 6

Tomato Parmesan Tart

This tart is easy to make and is impressively beautiful. Simply defrost and roll out a sheet of puff pastry, cover it with the ingredients, and bake until golden brown.

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

½ cup (or more) shredded parmesan

2-3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the pastry sheet on a piece of parchment paper. Dust flour on a rolling pin and roll out the dough from the middle to edges, approximately 1/8 inches thick. Transfer the paper and dough to a sheet tray and poke holes across the surface with a fork.

Brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle the thyme, then parmesan, all over the dough, leaving a one-inch border. Layer the tomatoes decoratively over the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and bake until golden brown, between 30 to 45 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes. Garnish with basil before serving.

Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Corn Panzanella

4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces

Kosher salt, divided

4 ounces crusty bread, such as sourdough or ciabatta, cut into 1-inch cubes (3 cups)

Olive oil, divided

Fresh ground pepper

½ cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 ears grilled corn, kernels removed

½ cup sliced red onion

½ cup basil leaves, torn

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the juices.

Spread the bread on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake until browned, stirring once, around 15 minutes. Cool.

Mix the tomato juices with the vinegar, garlic, and mustard. Whisk in ¾ cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine the bread, corn, red onion and basil with the tomato mixture in a large bowl and dress with the vinaigrette. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serves 6

Chilled Corn Soup with Tomato Relish combines two farmers market favorites.

Chilled Corn Soup with Tomato Relish

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chopped onion

4 cups fresh corn kernels plus ½ cup for the relish

6 garlic cloves chopped

5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

6 cherry tomatoes, sliced

4 tablespoons chopped basil

Heat olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and cook until softened but not browned. Add the corn kernels and garlic and sauté until fragrant around 5 minutes. Add the stock or other liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add a few pinches of salt and cook until tender, around 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender until very smooth. Strain the soup, pushing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard solids. Season the soup with salt and pepper and chill completely.

Combine the sliced tomatoes, ¼ cup corn and basil in a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish the center with the relish.

Serves 6

This story originally appeared in The Detroit News in September 2025.

Celebrating the sweet spot of Michigan produce: Summer corn and tomatoes

Corn

“There’s a big difference between now and when I started out farming with the weather, diseases, pests and weeds,” said Penzien. “Earlier this year I had 60 acres out of 100 covered with water, and we lost a lot, but not all.”

Tomatoes

Farmer Michael VanHoutte of VanHoutte Brothers works the land in Armada about 45 miles northeast of Detroit. He tends 1,500 cherry tomato plants, 4,000 medium-sized slicing tomato plants and 1,000 Romas. For him, the chilly spring weather delayed planting for about two weeks.

Diseases and weather are a challenge for tomatoes this year, too, especially with the heirloom varietals, which tend to be more susceptible.

“The dew in the morning brings everything that’s in the air down onto the plants and it causes a lot of damage,” said VanHoutte. Fortunately, there are better hybrids available today that are more expensive as seeds, but the plants do better.