"The slow turning of the old grind stones and the dampness of the mill's site gave the meal a special quality for making cornbread, yellowbread, shortening bread and spoon bread.
As old timers put it, "When meal comes to you that way, like the heated underside of a settin' hen, it bakes bread that makes city bread taste like cardboard." " -- Bale Grist Mill CA State Park Information
When I opened the bag of cornmeal, I could see what they meant-- the texture of the cornmeal was so soft and plush, but not overly fine or chalky the way traditional white flour can be. One cup of cornmeal made a whole loaf that lasted us for weeks: it made for a great lunch with a soup and salad, a yummy side for dinner, and even a quick breakfast that we could just heat up in the mornings and have with a glass of milk!
Adapted from Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread on allrecipes.com
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 all-purpose cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (I did not have buttermilk so I used lemon juice and regular skim milk, described in the directions)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8.5 inch loaf pan.
- Heat the butter in a bowl in the microwave briefly. Remove from the microwave when a small solid of butter still remains and stir to completely melt.
- *I did not have buttermilk so I used lemon juice with skim milk instead* Buttermilk is not butter and milk; rather it is milk that has been slightly curdled with acid, giving it a thicker consistency. The ratio to substituting with regular milk is generally 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to every 1 cup of milk. Stir and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Combine the buttermilk with baking soda and watch for a slight bubbling. This shows that the baking soda is still fresh and that the bread will rise sufficiently.
- Add the eggs, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until well blended. Pour in the buttermilk and baking soda mixture. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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