home

Dear Salty,

I’m a northern girl. Go ahead and call me a yankee. I went a long while without a date, so when i met a good looking fellow recently I made my move. My new man is a southern boy – lets call him Billy. Our first date was to a restaurant (he took me to The Silos). That went great, but now I’ve invited him to my place for dinner.

I think to make a good impression I need to cook something southern. My manicotti is magnificent, my reuben sandwich reubenesqe. But Billy says a good woman can make good cornbread. I went along, I agreed, I nodded. But damn, I’ve never made cornbread. My idea of bread is a bagel. I haven’t a cornbread clue. HELPPP!

Signed,

Distressed At Dolphin Point

Dear Distressed Dolphinite,

You have come to the right place for culinary cornbread counseling. I am famous for my cornbread, it’s third on my list of things I do better than anyone else (first and second place are illegal in most of the 50 states and Bangkok on Sundays, so I am not at liberty to discuss them in such a public forum, but I guarantee that they would help you land a good old boy faster than any cornbread recipe.)

It sounds like he must really like you to take you to a place where they don’t ask the question “Do you want fries with that?” By the way, you aren’t dating Tennessee Ronnie are you?? I ask you that because he says he is a cornbread connoisseur, but those of us that were around a few years ago during one of his infamous cornbread contests know different. He picked a very quiche like cornbread as the winner and lost all corn meal credibility amongst those of us that know better.

A yard sale skillet adds extra flavor

True cornbread is not quiche like in any way, shape, or form! I even began questioning Ronnie’s state of origin. I started calling him New Jersey Ronnie after that, because no true southern boy would pick quiche to win a cornbread contest. Now if you really are dating Jersey Ronnie, this is easy – just whip up a batch of polenta and stick it in a cast iron skillet – he won’t know the difference.

But it you are going out with a real southern man, here is the way to his cornbread lovin’ heart. First, you have to have a seasoned cast iron skillet. True cornbread cannot be made in any stinkin’ manicootie pan, cast iron rules! If you don’t have one, borrow a neighbors or pick one up at a yard sale. This recipe is for an 8” skillet, the perfect size for two.

Salty’s Get Your Man Cornbread

Real cornbread and a real cast iron skillet

To start, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Put 1 tablespoon oil (vegetable or canola) and 1 ½ tablespoons real butter in the skillet. Put the skillet in the oven so the oil and butter can get hot while you make the batter. In a medium bowl, beat one egg with a cup of buttermilk. Stir in two cups of buttermilk corn meal mix (I prefer White Lilly for its’ delicate texture) until the batter looks like a slightly thick cake batter, add a little more milk if it seems too thick. Stir in ¼ cup sour cream. When the butter and oil are good and hot and bubbly, pour it into the batter and stir it in. If you get a good sizzle, then you will have a great crust. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Flip the hot bread out on a plate and pass the (real) butter! He will forgive all your yankee ways after one bite.

I hope you land that good ol’ boy. Who knows, he might even learn to like manicootie!

Bless your cornbread bakin’ heart,

Salty

email this page | back to top

Ask Salty - reliable advice for your life. Salty is an experienced homemaker, licensed captain, and former dancer. Her hobbies include taxidermy and taking long walks on the beach. Contact Salty at salty@towndock.net