This recipe makes me happy.

Corn & Zucchini Fritter Stacks with Bacon and Avocado.

But that is just a name. It does not begin to describe the joy you will experience when this bundle of cheddar cheese, bacon and avocado layered between two corn & zucchini fritters lands in front of you.

That’s because you pick ‘em up with your hands and eat ’em slider style. I am serving this bit of culinary craziness with some cherry tomatoes on the side. Because you just know some of that goodness is going to slip between your fingers and onto the plate. I wouldn’t want those stray corn kernels, or wayward bacon crumbles to get lonely or feel rejected. The tomatoes will be waiting on the plate to greet them as they drop down. Then in perfect phase-two style, you can pick up a fork and clean your plate in a very civilized fashion!

Can you think of a better breakfast, lunch or dinner? Though truthfully, I can’t even decide what time of day best suits this masterpiece. Because like all great art, it defies modest mores and manners. It sets a bold new direction all its own.

Oh wait, did I tell you there is a drizzle of aged balsamic in there too. Not too much, but enough. Because all “sandwiches” deserve the perfect condiment.

This is Day 4 in my corny tribute to the Sweetheart of Sigma Summer! Sweet on Corn.

I've got a new sweetheart!

Well, she's not exactly new. She and I renew our vows about this time every year. But before your raise you eyebrows and get all Jerry Fallwell on me, let me just say that my sweetheart is corn.

Sweet, sweeter, sweetest corn We all love her. She's sweet and sexy. But you gotta know a girl that sweet is bound to get around. Still, you don't see me getting all jealous do you? I'm a big boy. I know what's going on. In fact if I were as sweet as corn I'd expect to be slated onto quite a few dance cards myself. Besides, when it comes to sweet summer corn I don't mind sharing– hell I don't even mind sloppy seconds. Corn is plentiful this time of year, and I know she'll be back to woo me again and again.

But you have to be careful when you use the word sweet around corn because in corn's case sweet is a double entendre. Sure sweet is an incredibly accurate descriptor for the flavor. But did you know sweet corn is actually a name for a type of corn? It is the tender type whose kernels we eat fresh, on or off the cob. There is another type of corn too. It's denser, rougher and not nearly as pretty. It probably has a name, but I don't know it. Because this type of corn is used for drying, popping and grinding. Which is not nearly as sexy as fresh and succulent (although the jury is out on grinding)!

What’s in a name? Well in the case of cakes, gateaux and tortes. Name is mostly about perception. Add to that fact the tendency of most cooks to categorize recipes as a means of defining them quickly. It is further confused by the fact that we bloggers tend to throw words around a bit irresponsibly. Me included.

Let’s start at the beginning. Let’s start with perception. Standing at the bakery counter you might not notice much difference between a cake, a gateau and a torte. So is there a difference?

First, cake. We all know what cake is. It’s sweet, it’s round and it is de rigueur in commemorating special events, most notably birthdays and weddings. Few desserts are as lovingly embraced as a really good cake, perhaps because cutting a cake is such a potent ceremonial moment.

However, the terms gateau and torte are more complicated. Partly because they are foreign words (to we English speakers) and partly because we cooks have played fast and loose with names in general for centuries.