Cornbread with Honey from the North

Cornbread with a Taste of Honey

By Cal Orey

Cornbread is a popular quick bread in America, especially in the South, a place I've visited and long to go back. It's common to be dished up with barbecue and chili in the summertime. I've used cornbread in turkey stuffing for the holidays. But cornbread is versatile and deserves credit year-round.  

About a decade ago, I used to buy a convenient store-bought mix of honey cornbread that boasts on the package “natural,” along with a box of cornmeal. One day a reader of "Callie's Cabin" said she reads my column, and I smiled. But then she darted the remark with a reprimanding tone, "You used a box mix?" it made me pause. Her comment was like that sound you hear when accidentally scraping your fingernail on a blackboard or a Food Network judge frowns when they taste your work.  So, yeah, it was an "ah ha" moment.

Since then, I've gone back in time, much like in the 20th century. Cans and boxes of food are not in my pantry or freezer. When I cook and bake it's more homemade-style, like this batch of cornbread which is what my mom would whip up to serve with grilled chicken for fish. It's just as easy as the box stuff but tastes a bit better.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 large organic egg

3/4 cup half and half

1/4 cup orange juice (squeeze from an orange)

1/3 cup European style butter or extra virgin olive oil (save a bit to grease dish)

2 tablespoons orange rind

Raw honey and butter

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sugar). Add wet ingredients (egg, half and half, juice, and butter). Fold in rind. Pour batter into lightly buttered 8-inch by 8-inch dish. Bake at 400 degrees for  about 25 minutes or until firm and light golden brown. Cool. Serve warm. You can slice squares from the dish or turn it over and out, cut slices and serve on a plate. Serves 10-12. Callie's Tips:: *You can add 3/4 cup fresh late summertime blueberries, blackberries or strawberries. *Honey butter (3/4 butter and 1/4 honey) is popular in Northern regions.*Cornbread freezes well. *This recipe makes about 8-10 muffins.

Enjoy this cornbread with fish soups, grilled poultry or fresh salads like I did.  Cornbread takes me back to our former Marie Callender's on Highway 50. It was years ago I'd always enjoy the salad bar with mini cornbread loaves and honey butter. But, these days you can purchase online bags of the original cornbread mix (the items notes "made-from-scratch-taste, just add water, no trans fats"). Still, making this hearty quick bread with cornmeal and your own ingredients is good. The citrusy twist and local honey sweetens it up for the end of summer outdoor meals and for upcoming cool autumn days and nights.