Cooking With A Cast Iron Cornbread Pan; From Staple to Southern Delight

There's a favorite cast iron cornbread pan for every cook out there, and all those recipes contribute to the ever-growing legacy of cornbread. Labeled as "The Bread Of The South", cornbread has made a significant evolution from the pioneer days, when it was a simple staple that traveled well. Today's cornbread mixes have flooded the market in a quick-to-bake fashion, but the true art of cornbread still exists and is, for some, the only way to make it.

According to many recipes, fresh ground corn makes the best cornbread, and can still be found at some regular grocery stores. Another must-have is buttermilk rather than regular milk, as it creates a superior richness and taste. After those two ingredients the sky's the limit. Some prefer sweet cornbread, some insist on no sugar of any kind, while some like to experiment, which has brought around such tempters as Mexican cornbread with jalepeno, peppered cornbread, and cranberry cornbread.

Essential to authentic cornbread is a cast iron pan. Whether a muffin mold or a skillet, seasoned cast iron can add that home-style taste that can't be produced in steel or copper cookware. And its even, consistent heating will make a simple job even easier, as it pops right out of the pan. The secret of course, is to apply oil (shortening is best) to the pan and heat before pouring in the batter.

Attributed to the south, but loved everywhere, cornbread is here to stay. Try this recipe to experience a real palette pleaser, and experiment from there!

Buttermilk Cornbread

1 tbs vegetable oil

2 1/2 c white cornmeal

1 c all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 c buttermilk

1 c lowfat milk

2 large eggs

2-3 tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 F. Add vegetable oil to a 10 inch seasoned cast iron skillet and place in oven to heat. In a mixing bowl combine meal, flour, salt, baking soda and powder. In another bowl whisk buttermilk, milk, eggs and butter. Gradually fold milk mixture into dry ingredients until just moist. Carefully remove skillet from oven, swirl slightly to re-coat pan with heated oil. Pour batter into skillet, return to oven and reduce heat to 350 F. Bake 35-45 minutes until cornbread has pulled away from sides and is lightly browned.