Northern Cornbread
I don’t know how many times a guest has said “I love cornbread; I just never bother to make it.” Really, cornbread is such a simple treat — “comfy food” to some of us. There are literally hundreds of recipes made with cornmeal that could loosely be dubbed cornbreads, among them yeast breads like Anadama bread, corn muffins, spoon breads and johnnycakes, steamed Boston brown bread, pancakes and, of course, basic “Northern” and “Southern” versions of cornbread.
My father grew up in the South into his teens, but he always preferred the Northern version of cornbread. So I thought it would be fun and informative to explore the differences between what’s traditionally thought of as Northern style cornbread and what’s Southern. Nothing is hard and fast; these distinctions are blatant generalizations, and there are many exceptions. I am indebted to “The Cornbread Gospels” by Crescent Dragonwagon (yes, that is really her name) for help with the following information. By the way, it is an exceptionally nice little cookbook.
Basically, Northern cornbread is more often served at breakfast, as a snack, or as a special treat. It is relatively soft and sweet, and often served with butter and jam or honey. Made with sweet milk, it is leavened only with baking powder and one, two, or even three eggs. Wheat flour and yellow cornmeal are often used together, with the flour often comprising half or even more of the mix.
Northerners (and we Westerners too) are quite free and easy with additions to the batter — ingredients such as corn kernels, peppers, bacon bits or fruits — all unusual additions in the South. More often than not, these cornbreads are baked in square pans or muffin tins. The crust is quite soft.
True Southern style cornbreads are quite different. They are often the main bread of the day, served frequently for lunch or dinner — more substantial and less cake-like than their Northern cousins. Sweeteners like sugar and honey are avoided, as are multiple eggs.
Made with buttermilk instead of sweet milk, and leavened with both baking powder and baking soda, it is baked in a very hot cast iron pan greased with bacon drippings or butter. The crust becomes very crispy.
The recipe for this week is a really simple, easy-to-make-with-kids quasi Northern version.
HOME STYLE CORNBREAD
This recipe serves 6-8 and takes about 10 minutes to mix, another 25 to bake.
Grease and flour an 8-inch or 9-inch, round cake pan or two small “boy scout” type mess-kit pans (pictured) to make small breads.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
INGREDIENTS
Combine in a medium-large bowl:
1 cup yellow cornmeal (not polenta grind)
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix in a smaller bowl:
1/3 cup canola (or other vegetable)oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
Mix wet and dry together — just until blended. Pour into pan(s). Bake about 25 minutes at 400 degrees until just brown on top. Serve warm or hot with butter, jams, honey, or my father’s favorite, maple syrup.
David and Muffy Vhay own Deer Run Ranch Bed and Breakfast. Contact the ranch at 775-882-3643.