Corn bread question...

[htc]

I'm curious what corn bread is supposed to taste like? I'm not talking about the Jiffy stuff, but the stuff you make when you use corn meal. I use Albers white corn meal to make my corn bread, I follow the instructions on the box and it turns out really yummy. It's kinda sweet, moist and cake like, and not too dry.

But I noticed, when go out to restaurants, cornbread never tastes like the stuff from the Albers box. Why is this? Are there different types of corn bread? When I go out, I usually get stuff that is dryer and harder, with a dry consistency.

p.s. I'm referring to the plain corn bread, no added stuff (ie scallions, bacon, etc.)

Thanks!!

 

[crewsk]

There isin't really a simple answer to this question htc. Cornbread varies in taste & texture wherever you go. It's one of those things that everyone has their favorite recipe for. I like mine light & fluffy (kinda cake like) on the inside, crispy on the outside & not sweet. IMO that is the perfect cornbread. But my hubby likes his sweet, more thin & crispy.

 

[Andy M.]

HTC, crewsk hit the nail on the head. There are differences and some of the time they're regional. Southerners, from what I'm told prefer less sweet cornbread while Northerners prefer the sweet. I'm sure there are exceptions.

Texture also varies from soft and cake-like to coarser and more dry.

Bottom line, make it they way you like it. There are several recipes for cornbread posted olsewhere on the site if you want to search them out.

 

[Constance]

My first husband liked homemade yellow cornbread that had just a little sugar, not too sweet.

My second husband thought his Aunt Lily's cornbread was the best in the world, and I couldn't stand it. She used no eggs or sugar, just white cornmeal, buttermilk, melted bacon grease, salt, baking soda and baking powder. She heated more bacon grease in a cast iron skillet, poured in the batter, and finished it off in the oven. The method was fine, but without eggs or sugar, the cornbread was (I thought) hard and scratchy.

The love of my life (#3) is just fine with Jiffy Mix, and I don't argue. In fact, he even makes it.