As far as the cornbread recipes go, most are basically the same with a few added flavorings here and there.
Actually "cornbread" is the generic terminology used for any fluffy bread product made with cornmeal. It is more than just differences in flavorings, it also is a difference in texture, crust, and richness. One could say all bread dough is basically them same, but in all reality every bread dough recipe has differences in texture, flavor, crust, and richness. Their are dramatic differences in the varieties of "cornbread" out there.
Corn Pone is one variation which has been widely accepted as the authentic corn bread; corn pone has a noticeable sweetness, a light fluffy cake-like texture and soft crust. This form usually has more flour to corn in the recipe. Corn pone is often baked into the form of muffins for restaurants across the US.
Traditional Baked Cornbread aka skillet bread, is a cornbread with a distinct dense crumb and leans to the dry side. Baked cornbread is often served with soups, stews, or beans as a means to sop the excess liquid of these dishes. This bread's only sweetness comes from the natural corn flavor and usually has little to no wheat flour in the recipe.
Corn Mush is also a form of cornbread, but most do not consider it to be bread. This form of cornbread is formed from cooking cornmeal directly in boiling water then pouting this porridge into a mold and chilling to set. After setting, the mush is sliced and fried and primarily served as an accompaniment to breakfast foods.
Hushpuppies are a very wet corn based batter shaped into logs or balls then deep fried. Hushpuppies are generally savory with a crispy shell and dense moist inside.
Corncakes or Jonnycakes are a pourable batter, much like a pancake batter, which is cooked on a hot griddle. The inside texture can vary with these based on the cornmeal to flour ratio, but the outside always has a crisp golden brown shell like pancakes. These can be served sweet or savory depending on the meal being offered.
There are many more regional variations we could discuss (heck, even tortillas and tamales are cornbread), but the fact is all cornbreads are not created equal.......and do not have the same basic recipe. Depending on the final product desired by the cook, cornbread can have different meanings to different people.
I made a guess on the addition of eggs to the recipe in question since I have never had this particular cornbread, but since the recipe clearly omitted eggs in the ingredients yet called for them in the recipe steps, I think the addition I suggested should get us a pretty good match.
Sorry to ramble on about cornbread, but for me food is more than a hobby.......it's my passion!
. I do have another question? A while back there were some post about soups and you mentioned that in kitchen's they are made in big batches, and the machine they used to mix and get them smooth. I just read in another magazine a soup recipe and the chef recommended blending the soup. I have made the Cheddar Cheese soup and though it was good, it never quite had the consistency that it does at Le Cellier's. Would you advise should I put it in the blender? If so how long? Thanks, for your help.
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