Corny Salt and Pepper Shakers

Submitted by Markydoodle October 19th, 2009
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When I was a kid growing up in the rural midwest in the 60’s, and sweet corn was “in season,” we would have entire meals consisting of-you got it, corn-on-the-cob. The roasting ears were boiled, stuck with little ears of corns with tines on them, slathered with butter, and seasoned with shakers like these. They are about 3 inches tall, stuck with corks underneath, and signed “Alma” (Grandma.)

7 Responses to “Corny Salt and Pepper Shakers”

  1. Allee Willis

    Corn used to freak me out as a kid because it always felt like I was eating little teeth. I really didn’t start to appreciate it as a vegetable until I started collecting corn shaped memorabilia. Now I have tons of corn S&P’s and a lot of the little corn holders like you have here that you jab into the ends of the cob so you don’t burn your hands off.

    These look to be in excellent condition. So many of mine are melted on the bottom and wobbly because I kept them too close to the pot while boiling the ears.

    When you say these are signed ‚ÄúAlma‚Äù underneath and that that’s your grandma, did she by any chance make these or did she just label all of her possessions?

  2. Mark Milligan

    This is definitely scrawled onto the bottom like she took a ceramics class, so she probably glazed them. I remember people having kilns in their homes when I was a kid-Allee was it a popular craft in the early to mid 60’s everywhere? I remember one lady who’s husband was a big beer drinker had about 40 beer bottles she’d turned into ash trays sitting around her house. The pre-dawn of recycling.

  3. Mark Milligan

    the ears are of “corn” not “corns,” but considering the tenor of the topic, maybe “corns” was the appropriate term.

  7. Mark Blackwell

    you have made me hungry for corn! luckily by chance i bought some corn and black bean salad just this morning at joan’s on 3rd…mmmm…the best!