Shoepeg corn

Shoepeg corn is a variety of white sweetcorn valued for its sweetness. It is characterized by small, narrow kernels that form uneven, tightly packed rows on the cob. The kernels are small, narrow, and white in color with a sweet, mild flavor. Shoepeg corn is also known as country gentleman corn.

Shoepeg corn is popular in some regions of the United States, particularly in the South. An early promoter of canned shoepeg corn was Malcolm Mitchell of Maryland — his "Mitchell's Shoepeg Sweet Corn" is a brand still available today, although its original center of production was transformed into Aberdeen Proving Ground soon after the U.S. declared war on the Central Powers in April 1917.

The name "shoepeg corn" derives from a shoemaking term used during the 1800s. Shoepeg corn kernels resemble the wooden pegs used to attach soles to the upper part of shoes.

Shoepeg corn is a common ingredient in salads and corn dishes throughout the Southern United States, but is relatively unknown in other areas of the country. It is on rare occasions available fresh in some areas, but it is most often canned.