[Sca-cooks] Southern Cornbread, was Thanksgiving Cooking in a Corset

[CorwynWdwd at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/30/2003 12:38:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
bruyere at jeffnet.org writes:

My mother would put either bacon drippings or shortening into the bottom of
a preheated Pyrex baking pan. I use shortening usually, but I have been
trying clarified butter lately. Normally, I use a similar Pyrex pan, but
this time around, the oven decided to go on holiday early, and I managed to
do it in a cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top. Aside from the location of
the pot, I pretty much followed my usual steps.

I'll pass on the Duke's. :) I'll stick to buttermilk. I have used both fresh
buttermilk, and instant buttermilk, with satisfaction both ways.

Most of the time I use bacon drippings, (which I keep in the refrigerator 
until use for any number of things) but I have used Crisco. I stopped using 
vegitable shortning when my Wife put me on low carb, and cornbread, too, has become 
only an occasional treat.

The bacon drippings go into a cast iron frying pan, which I was brought up 
with as the ONLY way to make cornbread <G>. Yes to the buttermilk, either fresh 
or powder. The mayonase is added to the mix nowadays, but it wasn't always... 
SOMETHING changed in the corn meal in the last twenty five years or so.... 
I've no idea what. I use the type with no baking powder, and often used the fresh 
ground stuff available from down the road a bit (although how long THAT will 
be available I don't know... he's looking for someone to buy the business from 
him, he's ready to retire). I have also added jalapino peppers or cut corn 
kernals to it, to rave reviews.

So as you can see, I'm not exactly a creature of habit. <G>

Corwyn

There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. 
And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the 
consequences. -- P. J. O'Rourke