I make a lot of corn bread because I cook a lot of beans for it to go with. Beans are cheap. We used to raise pinto beans on our farm and when I was growing up my family went through a 100 pound sack of them about every 18 months, all eaten in the form of chili made with beef from our feedlot. Beans and beef. But more about that some other time.

Here is what The Joy of Cooking (my cooking bible) has to say about corn bread:

"Anyone who grew up on Southern corn breads hankers for a rich brown crust and a light but slightly gritty bite. We can assure you that without water-ground corn meal and a heavy, hot pan, your end product will be pale and lifeless."

This first recipe is from the 1952 Junior League of Memphis, Tennessee Cookbook entitled "The Memphis Cookbook" so it must be real Southern:

Corn Bread from Memphis Junior League

1 cup corn meal
1 heaping tablespoon flour (I use whole wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten slightly
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1 tablespoon melted grease (bacon grease, butter or oil)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sift the dry ingredients together. Put some bacon grease or oil in a cast iron skillet or Corning Ware casserole and put in the oven to get hot. Combine the egg, buttermilk, and fat in a small bowl and stir into the dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Pour into the hot pan and bake until brown. Serves 4.

*Put 1 teaspoon vinegar in a measuring cup, add milk to make a cup, let stand a couple minutes.

I would put in bacon grease if I had it, so when I use oil I add some of that real crumbled bacon that Hormel puts out, and last night I put in about 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Green chilies would be good, too.

Here is the cornbread I made all last summer, it is from Arrowhead Mills:

Whole Wheat Cornbread
1 1/4 cups corn meal
3/4 cup whole wheat or unbleached flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter or oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk. Beat liquids together. Place oiled pan in oven until hot. Stir dry ingredients into the liquid with a few strokes. Place batter in hot 9 by 9 inch pan, 12 cup muffin pan, or corn stick pan. Bake about 15 minutes (sticks), 20 to 25 minutes (bread or muffins). Serve hot.

Have you ever had the corn bread at Marie Callender's restaurants? It's more cake-like, and they sell the mix in grocery stores. I like it because you only add water, so it's handy when there are no eggs in the house. I understand that Southerners would never add sugar to their corn bread, but a few years ago Mr. Kitchentales said he liked it. Now he likes the one at the top of this page. Here is a recipe from Sunset Magazine for a sweet cornbread:

Sweet Cornbread

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup salad oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups regular, all-purpose flour, sifted before measuring
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups yellow corn meal
1 cup milk

Combine the sugar and salad oil. Mix in eggs. Sift flour again with baking powder and salt; add corn meal. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Pour into a greased, floured 9 inch square pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.