A project conducted under the auspices of the United States Department of Agriculture, in concert with 16 American Universities and 20 com (maize) seed companies. This acronym stands for Germ plasm Enhancement for Maize. OEM’s intent is to cross exotic (not in current use) germ plasm with commercial maize lines in order to increase com yield.
A “gem” is a type of muffin that is typically not yeast-raised and is baked in a special pan, known as a gem-pan or gemiron. This is similar to the muffin pan that is commonly used today. It is worth noting that the muffins of today are more akin to the nineteenth-century “gem” than they are to the nineteenth-century “muffin.” The latter was yeast-raised and baked in a ring on a griddle, as is the case with English muffins. The term “gem” is not commonly used in modern times, as evidenced by its absence from the recipes included in the 1961 Fannie Farmer Cookbook, which features more than a dozen recipes for muffins.