Today I had a big meal in the middle of the day because I could. Upon looking at a photo of it later, it appears I had starch, starch, starch, and a big mess of worms. Delicious!
Worms
An Aries Knows (this site is more fun when people read and comment)
Today I had a big meal in the middle of the day because I could. Upon looking at a photo of it later, it appears I had starch, starch, starch, and a big mess of worms. Delicious!
I resemble that p.s. remark 🙂 …. missing u guys big time !
Then you need to get your sister-wife self to The Compound.
(Good grief–we sound more like a cult all the time.)
Yes Dear 🙂
Of course there was no sugar added, then it would be a corn MUFFIN … in bread form. I by the way want some —
Shall I mail a slice to you?
Though I know what the standard practices are for corn muffins and corn pone (muffins having a sweetener; pone having no egg or milk), I call mine different names based on what they’re cooked in. Thus I use exactly the same sugar-free batter for corn muffins (made in muffin tins) and corn pone (made in an iron cooking pan that produces small servings of the bread with a pattern baked into it making it look similar to corn on the cob).
The ONLY time I modify my batter is for hushpuppies, which use less milk and have onion and a bit of garlic in them. I deep fry those in canola oil (having betrayed the Crisco of my youth).
Sometimes I use bacon grease, sometimes canola oil to coat my skillets/pans. Sometimes I use milk; sometimes buttermilk in my batter. But I never, ever use sugar, and I don’t add things like corn, cheese, or jalapenos.
One think I can’t do, though I’ve tried, is make what my parents called corn fritters, which look and are prepared like pancakes, but use cornmeal instead of flour. If I could make them, they’d be like my mother’s: sugar free.
What I think people don’t understand about true Southern cornbread is that it was made by people who were POOR: Native Americans, Blacks, and most of my forebears. Cornmeal was cheaper than flour (and flour was saved for biscuits, which were cheaper to make than yeast breads). Sugar was more expensive than both cornmeal and flour. So maybe some Southern cooks added sugar to prove they weren’t poor, but I come from people who don’t think they have to prove anything to anyone, so I remain a cornbread purist.
1. now you have made me want hush puppies too.
2. I never had cornbread with sugar till I went to NYC – and my friend took me to a place that served “authentic” southern food. The cornbread had sugar – and I nearly choked. I actually told the waiter that it wasn’t cornbread which embarrassed my friend. I think they deserved the shaming.
I think a lot of southern food is what Anthony Bourdain calls “peasant food”
As for sugar in my cornbread, I WILL NOT HAVE IT!
Lynne’s Aunt Audrey made hands-down the best freaking hushpuppies in the world, and that includes my mother’s. They were so light and melted in your mouth. We have her recipe, but neither of us can duplicate them to match hers.
Her Aunt Lil’s French fries are the best. So a fish fry with these two women in charge was like a little Southern food paradise.
But what mystifies me is the mess of worms.
French cut green beans.
I cook with very little sugar OR salt. A pound of either lasts me for a couple of years. No, the salt lasts me about for ever.
Corn fritters are GREAT. I still make rice pancakes (leftover rice with egg), but can’t get anyone else in the family to eat them. Could be because my daughter grew up with her dad who is from Pittsburgh, PA. And potato cakes, same. No lard though. Olive oil these days.
I admire your skill! You’ve hit on the very thing that I just can’t seem to do well. From regular pancakes, to fritters, to potato pancakes, I don’t have much success.
Olive oil here, too, or canola. I need to follow your lead and use less salt. I don’t think I use a lot, but I’m probably kidding myself.