Crusty, golden brown and full of flavor – cornbread has been described as the crown jewel of the dinner table. What it lacks in elegance, it makes up for in flavor and sustainability.
It is, as one observer notes, the bread of breads and the foundation of Southern cuisine. For many, it outranks the delicate yeast roll, buttery biscuits and any other form of homemade breads, and there are as many recipes as there are cooks who make it.
Whether a result of a sophisticated recipe with added ingredients such as cheese, peppers or other vegetables – as found in modern cornbread adaptions – or just plain “homey” cornbread, this American staple is one of the country’s oldest foods. It is served in restaurants across the country. It enhances other food dishes from homecooked mustard greens to sophisticated entrees served in five-star restaurants in large cities such as Los Angeles, CA, to New York City, NY. The humble ’pone’ of cornbread has made its way into most mouths and into a multiplicity of menus and meals.
Not surprisingly, the first known cornbread originated from early Native Americans who learned how to dry or roast corn and grind it into a meal for making bread, porridge and cakes. The original version was made of cornmeal, salt and water called pone or corn pone resulting in the now familiar phrase ‘a pone of cornbread.’
The pone of bread traveled well and eventually evolved into the name ‘Johnny cake;’ regardless of the name, it is now known as cornbread. Native Americans introduced it to early colonists, and it soon became a food staple, helping them survive the first years of life in the Americas.
Other cornbread recipes can be traced back to African cultures. More than just a comfort food, it became a mainstay of enslaved people who were given very meager rations of staples. Baked in cast iron skillets until brown around the edges, the dense cornbread stretched thin stews and other sparse dishes for the enslaved people. In fact, as freed slaves migrated north, they carried the dish with them into their new communities, thus taking its goodness into all the country’s kitchens and meals.
In more modern times, cornbread and milk, also known as ‘crumble in’ or ‘crumbin’ was a staple for farmers and their families to eat during food shortages due to the depression and other challenging times in modern American history. Cornbread and milk remain popular for many, even today.
As with any delectable dish, the original recipe for cornbread has been tweaked and adapted, and every good cook has his or her own version. Some prefer a prepackaged mix and others boast family recipes handed down from grandmas and mamas. Adventurous and health-conscious cooks have attempted to make cornbread healthier by using skim milk and egg whites, while taste connoisseurs have gone whole ‘hog’ adding bacon fat or lard, white sugar and other ingredients that make nutritionally- sound advocates wince. However, the most popular versions are those which maintain the dignity and basic ingredients of the early versions of the bread.
For people who need permission to enjoy this mouthwatering staple, there are some little-known health benefits to eating the tasty concoction. Cornbread is 60% lower in calories and has more nutrients in it than white bread. It can improve digestion and promotes regularity and maintains good digestive health. It has been proven to lower cholesterol levels, thanks to its soluble fiber.
Additionally, it contains magnesium which can help fight inflammation. Lastly, it is a good source of vitamins and minerals and is a perfect choice for people trying to control their blood sugar levels or boost their cognitive function.
Whatever the recipe and whomever the cooks, cornbread is about as traditionally Southern as one can get. The dish tells of the stories of American history.
Today, it continues to enhance the dinner table being served with everything from chili to ham and beans to a variety of soups, peas, greens and other dishes. This all-American bread is quick, easy and mouth-watering good!
You can top it with gravy, butter or just drizzle it with honey. It can serve as a side dish or as an entrée extravaganza. Whichever, it continues to be a source of comfort and food history to its admirers and consumers.
Making your own is the best way to enjoy and celebrate its prominence on the dinner table. See the Recipe of the Week on page 2A for a triedand- true cornbread recipe that guarantees deliciousness and requests for seconds!
