Fresh corn is a natural on the grill

On the highway, it’s dangerous and a no-no, but at the stadium parking lot, tailgating can be as exciting and as much fun as the event on the field.

You can’t enjoy the game if you’re hungry, can you? And what would an outdoor meal be without fresh corn on the cob?

On a crisp autumn day you’ll want to include it — and supersweets are in the market. Prepare the corn at home: remove husks and silk, add toppings, wrap the ears in foil, and they’re ready to pop on the portable grill. If you’re a couch coach, grill them in your yard or broil them in the oven.

Grilled Corn With Hotlips Chili Butter is the creation of Diane Morgan, author of “Dressed to Grill,” and the Buffalo Corn Ears won Lisa Hill top prize in the 2003 Supersweet Corn recipe contest.

Grilled Corn with Hotlips Chili Butter

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Pinch ground red pepper

6 ears fresh supersweet corn, husked

Preheat outdoor grill or broiler. In a small bowl, combine butter, cilantro, salt, chili powder, sugar and ground red pepper. Brush corn lightly with mixture; grill, turning occasionally, until some kernels turn golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to platter; brush with remaining chili butter. Serve with grilled chicken and red pepper kabobs, if desired. Yield: 6 portions.

Buffalo Corn Ears

4 celery ribs, halved and sliced thinly lengthwise

1/2 fennel bulb (stalks and leaves removed), thinly sliced

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup jalapeño hot sauce

1- 1/2 tablespoons hot red pepper sauce

1- 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4 ears fresh supersweet corn, husked

Blue Cheese Slather*

Preheat grill or broiler. Place celery and fennel in a bowl of ice water to crisp.

In small saucepan, melt butter with hot sauces. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Brush corn with seasoned butter mixture. On a rack, arrange corn; grill or broil until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes, turning ears and basting with remaining butter mixture. To serve: Drain celery and fennel. On serving plate place celery, fennel and Buffalo Corn Ears. Top corn with Blue Cheese Slather (recipe follows). Thin any remaining Slather with a little half and half or milk and use as a dip for the celery and fennel.

*Blue Cheese Slather: In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces), 1/4 cup softened cream cheese and 1/4 teaspoon celery salt. Mash with a folk until fairly smooth. Makes about 1/2 cup.

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New Product News: French’s apparently never rests on its laurels. It has added two flavors to its GourMayo line: Flavored Light Mayonnaise Caesar Ranch, thick and intense; and Flavored Light Mayonnaise Creamy Dijon, with a light tan, creamy texture and a hint of sweet. … McCormick has introduced its new Neon Food Colors in pink, purple, blue and green for use in food or in art and school projects. … Banfi Vintners has brought to the United States its Aqua Vitae (Latin for “water of life”). This is a soft alternative to grappa as a cordial or digestive and is made from whole moscato grapes. Grappa, on the other hand, is made from the pressed grape skins, stems and seeds of the grapes used in making wine, and is a very intense liqueur. … Gorton’s has found a way to remove trans-fat from its popular Grilled Fillet products. The frozen, cooked fillets are prepared with wild Alaskan salmon and pollock. The packages are plainly marked “1 g carbs 0 g trans fat,” contain two individually wrapped servings, retail at about $3 and are ready to eat in about 8 minutes in the microwave or 18 minutes in the conventional oven.