She served me plain corn on the cob at one of our first lunches together ... as this is a sign they've been sitting for a while. The silk at the top of the corn will be pale and damp when fresh.

Corn on the cob soaked in a butter bath ... of this technique is that the butter gets everywhere. As opposed to just sitting ...

Brush each corn on the cob with mayonnaise then dip in the cheese mixture so each cob is completely covered. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Cover and chill until needed. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. For the corn on the cob, in a bowl, beat together the butter, smoked paprika, dried sage, chilli flakes, cracked black pepper ...