Client Blog

New York goes crazy for “Mirai® Gour-Maize” – the sweet corn taste of the future!

ROCHESTER, NY –  Sure, we’ve had the long, hot days, and even fireworks on the Fourth of July. But summer isn’t really here until you take that first bite, whether dripping with butter and salt or crisp and fresh from the stalk. For many of us, it’s the first, flavorful crunch into an ear of sweet corn that tells us that summer has finally arrived.

Here in the Rochester region, a group of growers and local restaurants are putting a new spin on a longtime American favorite.  “Mr. Mini Mirai” is an extra-sweet sweet corn varietal that packs a flavor punch out of all proportion to its petite size of just five to six inches—a size that, according to Harris Seeds President Richard Chamberlin (535-935-7015), allows it to stand out above the competition. “Mr. Mini Mirai is truly a gourmet corn,” Chamberlin said. “The flavor is excellent; it eats as good as anything out there. But it also has a serious advantage—it fits on a plate.”

Crystal Barn Restaurant owner George Gerakos also appreciates the unique flavor and size of Mr. Mini Mirai. “We like it, and our customers really like it,” said Gerakos. “It is smoother, sweeter, and more moist.”

The popularity of “Mr. Mini Mirai,” like that of its full-size counterpart, “Mirai-Gour-Maize,” has grown exponentially in recent years, establishing world-wide demand, particularly in flavor-focused Japan. Here in the U.S., Mirai has been featured in Parade Magazine and the Chicago Tribune, and was a favorite of radio legend Paul Harvey. Now, local corn lovers can discover for themselves why folks all over the globe have fallen for this niche-market sweet corn crop.

“I want people to experience this new taste, and this new variety of sweet corn,” said Jack Moore of Gro-Moore Farms in Henrietta, (585- 370-6134).

Doug Mason of Mason Farms in Williamson has grown the larger variety of Mirai for the past 15 years, but believes there is plenty of room in the marketplace for the little guy as well. “The smaller ears are every bit as good as the big ones,” Mason said. “The flavor is excellent, and there is almost no cob. This corn is all meat!”

Other local farms growing Mr. Mini Mirai or Mirai-Gour-Maize include Phil White’s Bob-Mar Farms in Bloomfield, (585-657-7528); Roger and Ned Powers’ Powers Farm Market in Pittsford, (585-261-6104); and Jim Maier of H. A. Maier and Sons Farm in Spencerport (585-349-2435).

Harris Seeds has sponsored a taste test among corn lovers nationwide, with the results to be released in September.

Harris Seeds
www.harrisseeds.com

Contacts:
Dave Mackenzie, Centex (970) 901-7714
Richard Chamberlin, Harris Seeds (535) 935-7015

Richard Chamberlin, president of Harris Seeds in Rochester, New York, has created the company’s very first blog in February 2010. According to Chamberlin, the company has a rich tradition in history, and he wants to share this information with his readers. Chamberlin also noted that there is a wealth of happenings that go on behind the scenes, and the general public has little knowledge for what makes a seed company tick. Each week, viewers will be able to learn some very interesting things about Harris Seeds that go way back to 1879. The past, present and future will be reflected through this ongoing series of commentaries.

The blog can be accessed from the company web site at www.harrisseeds.com, and readers will have an opportunity to submit comments at the end of each post.