Elote

Child eating elote.
Elote.

Elote (Nahuatl: ēlōtl /ˈeːloːt͡ɬ/), or corn on the cob. It is a popular street food in Mexico, although it is frequently served at home prepared in the same way (boiled or grilled in husk). In Mexico, Chicago, and the southern U.S., it is customary to consume elotes on a stick, or by grasping the husk of the cob that has been pulled down to form a "handle". Condiments such as salt, chili powder, butter, cheese, lemon juice or lime juice, mayonnaise, and sour cream (or crema) are usually added to the elote. Lemon pepper seasoning is popular as a condiment in Texas.

Another way of presenting elotes is by serving the cut kernels in a bowl. In the southern and central areas of Mexico, people call this esquites instead of elote. Any of the toppings above are added to the corn and it is then eaten with a spoon.

In the southern and central urban zones of Mexico, ready-to-eat boiled elotes are usually sold by street vendors and/or in stands, but in the rest of Mexico elotes are more frequently sold in stores or restaurants. The elotes are boiled in hot water or grilled over coals and condiments of the customer's choosing are added when sold.

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