Category: Breads and Pancakes

Buttermilk Corn Bread

Since both corn and chili peppers originated in America, it is not surprising that chili and corn bread go well together.

Scientists believe that Native American farmers in Mexico spotted the food potential in a wild plant called teosinte, perhaps as early as 10,000 years ago.  While no one knows for certain, most likely early farmers saved the best seeds and kept planting them until the modern plant was developed.

What we call corn is more correctly called maize.  Native Americans were eating maize when the first English settlers arrived.  The settlers called it corn because that was the common English word for grain.  Ground into meal, corn was used to make bread long before Columbus discovered the Americas.  Today corn (or maize) is one of the most important grains grown in the world.

My mother made corn bread often.  Like most northern cooks she added sugar to the batter to make a slightly sweet bread.    We have friends from the south who make corn bread without sugar.  Both kinds are good, but I really prefer Mom’s style of corn bread.

Just this week I tried something a little different when I made corn bread to go with the white chicken chili Jerri was serving to her bridge group.  I added an extra egg and beat the egg whites separately.  My hope was that by folding the beaten egg whites into the batter as I do for corn meal griddle cakes, the corn bread would be lighter and more tender.

The results were as I hoped and the ladies liked it, so here is my new recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups yellow corn meal
1 tsp. double-acting baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 T sugar
2 large eggs
3 T melted butter or bacon grease
1 cup buttermilk

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 9 inch pan and preheat it in the oven while combining the liquid and dry ingredients.

Sift the flour, corn meal, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl.  Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks into the buttermilk.  Mix the buttermilk and shortening into the dry ingredients. Stir the mixture just long enough to mix it well.  If necessary add a small amount of extra buttermilk.

Beat the egg whites to the stiff peak stage and fold them into the batter.  Put the batter in the hot pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  When a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean the bread is done.

Remove the bread from the oven and serve immediately.  This corn bread goes great with chili and is especially good with plenty of butter and honey.

Corn Meal Griddle Cakes

One bright summer morning a few years ago our seven-year-old grandson ate eight corn meal griddle cakes with butter and warm maple syrup.  Where they went, we still do not know.  There were no noticeable bulges as he headed down to the brook to continue the hydraulic engineering project begun the day before.  Maybe they were immediately turned into energy.  After more rocks had been arranged in the water and the effects of different arrangements had been evaluated, he came back for more of “Grandpa’s pancakes” for lunch. 

Occasionally someone will tell me that they really do not like things made with corn meal.  Then I usually make ordinary buttermilk pancakes as well as the corn meal cakes.  If they follow my suggestion to try the corn meal cakes, they nearly always end up eating a couple more.  These cakes really are good. 

The recipe comes from a wonderful cookbook given to us by my mother and father-in-law shortly after we were married.  Jerri was born into a Mennonite family filled with good cooks and people who appreciated good food.   The book is  Mennonite Community Cookbook by Mary Emma Showalter, and it’s filled with many traditional Mennonite recipes.  The recipe for corn meal griddle cakes is one of my favorites.

Even if you are not a fancier of corn meal cakes, give this recipe a try for a hearty Saturday breakfast.  The cakes are light with a delightful texture and flavor.  Serve them with butter, warm maple syrup and side orders of bacon or sausage.

INGREDIENTS:

2  to 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 egg yolks
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup corn meal
1 cup white flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 egg whites

PROCEDURE:

Beat the eggs whites until stiff peaks form.  Melt the butter in a small pan on low heat on the stove or in a small container in your microwave oven.  Sift the white flour, measure one cup into sifter again.  Add the baking powder, soda, salt, sugar  and corn meal.  Sift again.  Beat the eggs until lemon yellow, add 2 cups buttermilk and stir to blend.  Then add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.  If the batter seems too stiff, add extra buttermilk.  Add the melted butter and stir.  Then fold in the beaten egg whites.  Bake on a hot (350 degrees) griddle.  

Yields about 16 four inch cakes.  I often make a double batch; they respond well to being warmed in the microwave.