The Cornbread Gospels

October 29, 2007
This surprising, eccentric volume is full of curious anecdotes, history and cornbread lore, from tales of the Native Americans teaching Pilgrims to make cornbread, to stories of slaves living on little but "ash cakes," corn patties baked in the ashes of a fire. Most intriguing (and delicious) are the recipes themselves, which span the globe to find the happy taste of cornmeal in dozens of novel incarnations. Vermont Maple-Sweetened Cornbread is a classic, a medium-sweet skilletful of steaming yellow bread that makes a wonderful companion to baked beans or a mellow soup. Savory Onion-Scallion Corn Cakes are a spicy variation on the theme, livened up with a fresh green chile. Many recipes are for cornbread accompaniments, like a Golden Gazpacho that turns garden vegetables and lots of corn into an all-American version of the Spanish soup, and Patsy's Cornbread Salad, which mixes chunks of tomato, bacon and onion with cornbread for a Southern take on the Italian bread salad called panzanella. The most exciting corn-themed dishes come from less expected places: the labor-intensive but phenomenally flavorful Sancocho is a South American stew, and African Vegetable Mafe is dense with peanut butter and sauteed vegetables, perfect for sopping up.

January 15, 2008
Cornbread lovers rejoice! Dragonwagon ("Passionate Vegetarian") explores the surprisingly vast world of all things cornmeal in her latest cookbook. Her passion for this humble foodstuff spans nearly 400 pages and over 200 recipes for not only cornbread but also muffins, tortillas, crackers, rolls, spoon breads, fritters, and more. Cornbread is particularly loved in America, and there are many regional differences that are conveniently delineated in a chart; southern cornbread, for example, consists primarily of cornmeal, whereas northern cornbread is generally half cornmeal and sweetened with sugar. The author also explores the global appeal of cornmeal, including recipes for Mexican-style corn spoon bread, tortillas, Latin American arepas, Greek cornbread, and Indian griddle cakes. Other chapters include recipes for yeasted cornbreads, pancakes, and side dishes and a section on how to use leftover cornbread. Numerous sidebars contain fascinating tidbits of history, sample menus, and cooking tips; a glossary and index are included. Although this title focuses solely on one the ingredient, the recipes are tempting and diverse, and the writing engaging. Recommended.Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR

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