Thursday, March 13, 2008

CORNBREAD FOLLIES

I guess this could be another: 'Adventures in Cooking' entry.
I was watching an Emeril Live show. It was "Mississippi Memories". Southern cooking. That show was so funny. There must have been Gremlins infecting the set. What could go wrong, did.
Anyway, he made cornbread in an iron skillet. Well, when he took the cornbread out for the oven. He popped it on the cutting board, the bread came out broken. Mostly intact , but one side crumbled. Oh, my. The texture looked right though, not too dry, not too damp.
I haven't had a decent piece of cornbread since I left home. Exception, is, my friend Caro she is a great cook. And so is her family. Caro, makes a good pan of cornbread. also, Split Pea Soup. Several times when I was visiting her. That was an tasty supper she would serve.
I liked Mom's cornbread. Now Mom wasn't a super cook. But, a plain cook. My Dad didn't care for fancy stuff. So, she cooked for his taste. She just talked to his Mother for that.
Mom's cornbread, came out on the crispy side. But, that was the woodburning cookstove. The oven gauge never did work. She would sort put her hand in the oven, and felt the temperature. The bread was not too dry, and not too moist. Just a little crumbly. But, hot with butter melting on it, terrific. ]
Any time I ordered cornbread at a restaurant, or at a buffet. Too moist, just soggy and heavy textured. And tasting of too much baking soda. Glah. At a small upscale restaurant in the city, I ordered corn biscuits with my dinner. and even though they had a little jalepeno in them, still, too moist and too much baking soda. I still haven't found a good cornbread.
When I was still cooking, I tried cornbread a few times. I didn't get the hang on it. I only made it for the two of us. It wasn't nice enough to serve my friends.
But, ha,ha I made a fairly good bannock. I made that for our breakfast on the weekends, many times. I can't remember if I served it out.
I can't make good biscuits either. Touch on the heavy side. My Dad's Lady friend Helen, made great biscuits. No, wonder, because she came from Oklahoma. She cooked real country style. And no, I do not feel I am being disloyal to my Mother's memory.
Mom made an excellent roast beef. My Dad loved roast beef. Her baked chicken and turkey was always just right.. I'll talk about vegetables at another time.
Have you had any cooking adventures?

2 comments:

Pudgeduck said...

My hubby, from Ok is still searching for cornbread like his Mom made. Sorta flat, crispy and not sweet. I like fluffy, moist and cake-like. So I don't try very hard to make it "like Mom's."

LauraHinNJ said...

Cooking is always an adventure for me!

I have trouble making a good cornbread too. Probably need a new recipe.