Corn Cakes with Habanero-Infused Honey and Maple Syrup [Rhonda]

Degree of difficulty: easy unless you're nervous about flipping pancakes
Time: prep 15 minutes, cook time 5 to 10 minutes
Serves: 2 or 3

Here's the challenge: you've gone to the New Albany Farmer's Market on a sweltering hot July afternoon and returned home with three amazing purchases. Fresh-picked blackberries, the season's early sweet corn, and a most wonderful treat, habanero-infused honey. One dish that uses all three?

These corn cakes were fabulous. I served them with a small side of bacon (goes with anything on the planet, right Zack?) and dressed up the plate with a slice of blood orange and a snip of sage.

Since the habanero-infused honey (from Latshaw Apiaries in New Albany, in case you want to order some online) is precious, I drizzled some pure maple syrup on the plate as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional melted butter for cooking
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup fresh sweet corn, removed from cob
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 fresh jalapeño or serrano chili, or to taste, seeded and minced

In a bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, pepper and sugar. In another bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the butter, the egg, and the buttermilk, stir in the corn, onion, chili, and stir in the cornmeal mixture, stirring until the batter is just combined. Heat a nonstick pan over moderately high heat until it is hot, brush it lightly with the additional butter, and working in batches drop the batter by a 1/4-cup measure into pan. Spread the batter slightly to form 3 1/2- to 4-inch cakes, cook the cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are cooked to a heatproof platter, and keep them warm.

Serve with habanero-infused honey and pure maple syrup.

Suggested soundtrack: Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" (don't gag....it's cute)