[twitter]The news stories started up about a month ago. The legendary Taber corn would be late this year because of the weather in Southern Alberta. Hysteria immediately ensued.

Being new to the province, I didn’t get what all the hype was about. To be honest, I only knew of Taber, Alberta because of a tragedy a decade ago. The day after the school shootings in Littleton, Colorado – a similar incident happened in this small prairie town. For a time, Taber was Canada’s Columbine.

But to native Albertans, Taber is something special – it’s the home of the best corn in the world.

Taber corn is so craved that knock offs are sold at roadsides across Alberta. Yes, fake Taber corn is pawned on unsuspecting buyers. The only way to make sure you have the real stuff is to look for a certificate of authenticity at the roadside stall.

Why would anyone want to knock off Taber corn? Like the purses decorating the backrooms of Canal St in Manhattan, these golden ears have a price worth plagiarizing. $9 for a dozen makes you think they’d hand the ears over in a Prada pouch.

People in Vancouver salute the end of summer with Chilliwack corn. The peaches and cream pieces are something I’ve looked forward to every year. The panic over a shrunken crop in Alberta had me wondering, what’s so special about Taber corn?

Simply, the sun. Taber gets more of it than any other region in Canada (usually) and holds the title of Corn Capital of Canada. Frito Lay has production facilities here which makes me wonder if the potatoes are just as spectacular.

The sun warms the soil around the crop during the day, while the cool Alberta nights bring out the natural sugars. A sweet, crisp cob is the result making it a sought after late summer treat.

How will it compare to Chilliwack’s peaches and cream? We’ll find out tonight.

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**UPDATE** Okay, now I get it. Crunchy and sweet and golden, oh my!