"cornbread" news and stories

Sugar is sneaking into some Southern cornbreads, an organizer of the National Cornbread Festival reports.

The annual festival -- which this month returns to South Pittsburg, Tenn. -- draws 10,000 people with its cornbread-eating contests, Miss Cornbread pageant, cook-offs and cornbread-sampling stations. Spokesperson Beth Duggar says this year's cornbread lineup includes brown sugar cornbread, strawberry cornbread and M&M cornbread, all clear edible violations of the longstanding Southern tradition of unsweetened cornbread.

Festival judge Elizabeth Heiskell, author of the forthcoming Somebody Stole the Cornbread from My Dressing, puts the edict against sugared cornbread in a uniquely Southern context. "When I was in school, one of the things we talked about was the Civil War, which was a very hard subject, very emotional," she says. "And my professor said, 'Honestly, I believe the reason the Civil War was fought was because the North wanted us to put sugar in our cornbread'."

• Chili may be the truly all-American dish. Read on for the reason -- and the recipes.
• Now that you're making chili, how about some cornbread to go with it?
• Mexican restaurant Antojitos Carmen, a veteran of street fairs, now has a proper home (but still sets up a sidewalk cart for old time's sake).
• Allagash Brewing ages its Belgian-style tripel ale in bourbon barrels. Curieux? Check it out.
• The Vinoteque on Melrose rounds out a revitalized neighborhood restaurant scene. As the name suggests, go for the vino.

Baked corn dog and cole slaw. Photo: you can count on me.

As we bid goodbye to state fair season, this picture reminds us of how good trashy food can be, if done properly. We can already taste the wonderful combination of salty dog offset by a slightly sweet cornbread batter.

This home version is baked, rendering deep-fryer guilt obsolete. A side of coleslaw that looks as if it were made from real cabbage really boosts the health quotient. It's practically a food pyramid on a plate ... or at the very least, an excellent attempt at good-for-you fair food.

[Via Flickr]

Because Thanksgiving dinner often features so many heavy foods, too many households pass up the opportunity to serve up a delicious and festive bread with the meal. Check out these autumn-inspired breads that will fill your Thanksgiving kitchen with a yummy aroma and please guests of all ages and tastes.

1. Cranberry Walnut Braid from Epicurious. I made this yesterday, and was thrilled by how beautiful it looked and wonderfully seasonal it tasted.

2. Sweet Potato Buttermilk Rolls from Pinch My Salt. Is there such a thing as too much sweet potato at Thanksgiving? No. No there is not.

3. Quick and Easy Whole Wheat Bread from Zesty Cook. I like the quick and easy part. And the whole wheat bread part.

4. This doesn't really count as one recipe, but check out this article from the New York Times about breads to bake for Thanksgiving. We linked to it once before here, but I'd say it deserves a second mention.

5. Cinnamon Raisin Bread from All Recipes. Leftovers for breakfast!

6. Overnight Soft Herb Rolls from My Recipes. Anything you can prep ahead is Thanksgiving gold.

7. Creamed Cornbread from The Food Network. A southern twist on a classic.

8. Thanksgiving Dark Dense Pear Bread from the Huffington Post. HuffPo, you ask? It seems so.

Not everyone looks forward to the cooler weather of fall, and I'm one of them. I really prefer warmer temperatures, but I do look forward to fall food. All of the different squash dishes, puddings, and citrus flavors are so welcome that I can almost forgive the chill in the air. I've been searching for different fall influenced bread recipes and I think I've found some good ones. Check them out and you be the judge.

1. This fig and anise bread sounds so amazing, I'm planning on making this one soon!
2. What could be more fall than a pumpkin bread pudding?
3. It seems more difficult to find a pumpkin yeast bread, but I found one amid all the quick breads.
4. Chestnut rye is a little more unusual of a flavor, but that's what makes it special.
5. Sweet potato rolls deserve a place on everyone's fall table.
6. This cornbread from the Homesick Texan may not be strictly fall, but the cornbread dressing you can make with it sure is.
7. Orange yeast bread is also more rare than its quick bread cousin.
8. Sure cranberry is usually paired with orange, but why not let it shine on its own?