Cornbread

About the dish

Cornbread grew from the corn breads of Native American cooking, which settlers adopted, and it became a staple across the American South. Early versions were simple cakes of cornmeal and water baked on a hearth or griddle.

Modern cornbread is a quick bread. Cornmeal, often with some flour, is mixed with milk or buttermilk, eggs, melted fat and baking powder or baking soda; buttermilk’s acidity reacts with baking soda to lift the batter. It needs only a brief stir, since overmixing makes it tough.

Southern cooks often heat a greased cast-iron skillet in the oven before pouring in the batter, which sizzles on contact and forms a crisp, browned crust. Southern-style cornbread is traditionally mostly cornmeal with little or no sugar, crumbly and savory. Northern-style cornbread uses more flour and sugar for a sweeter, more cake-like crumb. Either way, it brings the sweetness of the corn, a little salt and the richness of butter or drippings, and it is eaten with beans, greens, chili or barbecue.

Written from general cooking knowledge, as background on a dish from the game’s recipe book. It is not a tested recipe.

The flavors it leans on

• Sweet
• Rich
• Salt