Back to Basics: The Art of Classic Cornbread

Tasting the Past: Cornbread and Sentimental Reflections

During my childhood summers, I would visit my cousin at my aunt's mountain-top home, a slice of heaven with horses, chickens, and more. Among the many delights my aunt prepared, her cornbread was a favorite. I watched her make it countless times, aspiring to recreate it one day. Though she passed away, I've finally mastered her recipe. Now, whenever I make her cornbread, I feel a special connection to her. It's a reminder to cherish family recipes, as you never know when you'll have them for the last time.

Ingredients:

• Bacon grease
• 2 heaping cups of Cornmeal
• About 1/3 cup of flour
• About 1 to 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and water mixture

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put bacon grease in an iron skillet and heat it up.
3. In a bowl, mix together 2 heaping cups of Cornmeal and about 1/3 cup of flour.
4. Add the buttermilk and water mixture, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups, to the dry ingredients. The batter should resemble a pancake batter consistency.
5. Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 400 degrees until the top starts to turn a little brown.
7. Optional: Switch the oven to broil and let it cook for a few minutes until the cornbread is golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven.
9. Enjoy the delicious cornbread!

Note: Please let me know if you make it and how it turns out!