I think it’s like corn fritters, where you take corn kernels and some dough and fry them in oil. We always put maple syrup on those. Maybe it’s a Midwesterner thing.
Corn fritters, otherwise known as “corn patties” in the Upper Midwest, are best made with saltines, creamed corn and an egg to hold it together, then fried over medium-high heat until brown and crispy. They don’t keep well, but some of us like like them the second day, if they last that long... ;o]