[1] Some diners use specialized skewers, thrust into the ends of the cob, to hold the ear while eating without touching the hot and sticky kernels.

Lillian Eichler Watson, in a 1921 etiquette book, described corn on the cob as "without a doubt one of the most difficult foods to eat gracefully.

[15] In Mexico and most of Central America, an ear of corn, on or off the plant, is called elote (from the Nahuatl elotitutl 'tender cob').

In the Andean countries (except for Venezuela and Colombia) as well as Uruguay and Paraguay,[16] an ear of corn is choclo (from Quechua chuqllu).

The boiled ear is served with condiments such as butter, mayonnaise, and grated cotija cheese, and in the case of Mexico, chile powder, lemon juice, and salt.

These elotes are splashed with salt water and grilled in the coals until the husks start to burn and the kernels reach a crunchy texture.

In Central America, it is customary to grill elote during the first harvest of the year --the end of June until the beginning of September.

During this time, women can be seen on the sides of the highway next to the cornfields selling grilled elote seasoned with lime juice and salt.

In Peru, choclo con queso is a popular street food in which the corn on the cob is grilled on hot coal and served with Peruvian salted cheese.

A popular use for corn on the cob in Quebec is for serving at an épluchette de blé d'Inde, or corn-shucking party.

At this informal type of celebration, the guests help to shuck the corncobs, which are then boiled and served with butter and salt, often along with other foods.