Autumn in Rhode Island is more than crisp air and turning leaves...it’s the season of gathering, grinding, and giving thanks. The harvest brings us back to the land, to the grains and roots that have sustained families for generations. At the heart of this tradition is flint corn, a resilient heirloom crop that carries both history and flavor in every kernel.

Made From RI offers four distinct stone-ground corn meals, each one a reflection of Rhode Island’s agricultural heritage and a reminder that harvest is not just about food... it’s about memory, ritual, and community.

 Grits: A Blend of Flint Corn

Grits – Blend of Flint Corn Meal

Harvest begins with the humble grit...a coarse, hearty blend that speaks of early mornings and slow cooking. These stone-ground grits, made from Rhode Island flint corn, preserve the natural oils and nutrients of the grain. The result is a nutty, robust flavor that transforms a simple bowl into a meal of substance.

Perfect for a harvest breakfast, these grits pair beautifully with roasted root vegetables, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a savory stew. They remind us that the harvest table is built on nourishment and patience.

 Longfellow Yellow Flint Corn Meal

Longfellow Yellow Flint Corn Meal

The golden hue of Longfellow Yellow Flint is the very color of autumn fields. This heirloom variety, grown and stone-ground in Rhode Island, carries a rich, nutty flavor that shines in cornbread, muffins, and fritters.

Baking with Longfellow Yellow is like baking with sunlight... its vibrant color and hearty texture bring warmth to the table. Imagine a Thanksgiving cornbread stuffing made with this meal: rustic, golden, and deeply tied to the land.

 Hopi Blue Flint Corn Meal

Hopi Blue Flint Corn Meal

Harvest is also about heritage, and the Hopi Blue Flint variety carries a story as deep as its indigo hue. Locally grown and stone-ground, this cornmeal offers a slightly sweet, nutty flavor that sets it apart.

It lends itself beautifully to cornmeal cookies...a harvest treat that bridges tradition and creativity. The blue color, striking on the plate, reminds us that food is not only sustenance but also art, history, and celebration.

 Jonny Cake White Corn Meal

Jonny Cake White Corn Meal

No Rhode Island harvest is complete without the Jonny Cake. Made from locally grown white corn, this stone-ground meal is the foundation of a dish that has been passed down for centuries.

The subtle sweetness of white corn makes it versatile...perfect for traditional Jonny Cakes, but also for pancakes, muffins, and cornbread. To cook with this meal is to honor Rhode Island’s culinary inheritance, a reminder that harvest is not only about gathering crops but also about keeping traditions alive.

 A Harvest of Memory and Flavor

Together, these four corn meals form a seasonal palette: golden yellow, deep blue, pure white, and the rustic blend of grits. Each one carries the essence of Rhode Island’s soil, the care of local farmers, and the enduring value of stone-ground tradition.

This harvest, let your kitchen become a place of ritual and remembrance. Bake cornbread that glows like autumn leaves, stir grits that warm the morning, shape cookies that surprise with their blue hue, and fry Jonny Cakes that taste like home.

The harvest is not just what we eat... it’s how we gather, how we remember, and how we pass on the flavors of place and time.

Interested in more? Find it all right here at Made From RI: https://madefromri.com/categories/food-stuffs/corn-meal.html