Corn roaster facts for kids
A corn roaster is a special machine that cooks many ears of corn at once. Think of it like a very large grill designed just for corn! Sometimes, the name "corn roaster" can also mean the person who cooks the corn. These machines have been around in the United States since at least the year 1900.
Corn roasters are often used by vendors at fun events. You might see them at festivals, fairs, parties, and holidays like the Fourth of July. Roasted corn is a super popular snack at these events, especially in the American South, Southwest, and Northwest. Besides corn, these machines can also cook other yummy foods. They can roast turkey legs, potatoes, and sweet potatoes too! Some corn roasters are used by street food sellers. These sellers might only work when corn is in season. It's cool to know that some groups who use corn roasters at fairs give the money they earn to help charities.
Many of the bigger corn roasters are built on a trailer. This makes them easy to move from one event to another. They usually run on LPG, which is a type of fuel. There are also smaller corn roasters that can sit on a table. Some people even build their own corn roasters at home!
Who Makes Corn Roasters?
Several companies in the United States build corn roasters. One well-known company is Holstein Manufacturing. There's even a brand of corn roaster called "Roast-O-Matic." Some of these powerful machines can roast up to 1,200 ears of corn in just one hour! That's a lot of corn!
Corn Roasters at Big Events
Corn roasters are a big hit at many events. For example, at the yearly Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, a large team works with corn roasters. They can roast between 10,000 and 18,000 ears of corn every single day! Over the whole fair, they roast about 180,000 ears of corn. People have said that roasted corn is "one of the fair’s most popular foods" for over 28 years.
At the Yakima Valley Fair in Yakima, Washington, a group called the Grandview Rotary Club has been using a corn roaster for 40 years. They donate all the money they make from selling corn to help local needs in their community.
