Trekking through the White Death for groceries
I decided to walk to the supermarket just now, mostly to get out of the house. I've been in all day out of sheer laziness. I got it into my head to make corn pones, which have only four ingredients: white cornmeal, bacon fat, water and salt, and I was out of cornmeal. But when I got there, I found my local Giant has stopped carrying Indian Head Stone-Ground White Cornmeal after all these years.
However, it does carry King Arthur Popover Mix, the first time I've ever seen it. I stood there a long time with the box in my hands just looking. It costs $7.59 and, as far as I could tell, contains two things: flour and powdered milk. It makes 12 popovers.
Wonder how many of those the Giant sells in a year?
Comments
Since I know you live in the city, you certainly were braving the white death! I drove home from work and not ONE city road including Northern Parkway had been salted or otherwise touched. I crossed the county line on Park Heights and went from a sheet of ice to bare asphalt.
At any rate, what exactly is corn pone? Is it corn bread? I've been cheating and buying Glory corn muffin mix which has been wonderful but I can't make a good corn bread especially from scratch. That King Arthur stuff is pretty pricey for what you get IMHO.
Posted by: Joyce W. | January 19, 2009 6:48 PM
OK, can you give us your recipe for corn pone?
I was afraid you wouldn't ask. EL
Posted by: Bucky | January 19, 2009 7:16 PM
Did they have any cornmeal at all?
What worries me the most about the seeming increase in numbers of people who apparently can't cook is that I fear that eventually those of us that do cook won't be able to buy the necessary ingredients anymore.
Yellow cornmeal. And Martha White white, which I bought but am worried about. EL
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | January 19, 2009 7:18 PM
Martha White sponsors Garrison Keillor.
Posted by: Eve | January 19, 2009 8:16 PM
And Martha White white, which I bought but am worried about.
I've never had any, but isn't Martha White an old southern brand? Flatt and Scruggs used to do radio commercials for them (not that I remember that personally...)
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | January 19, 2009 8:29 PM
I feel you, Hal. Things I consider staples leave the shelves, only to be replaced by something with 28 9 syllable ingredients that only needs to be microwaved for 45 seconds. It is scary.
And, yes, cornmeal is one of my staples. Never noticed a difference between white and yellow. Must be that barbarian Yankee upbringing I had.
So, EL, where is the recipe?
Posted by: Lissa | January 19, 2009 9:58 PM
I'm a White Lily fan, rather than Martha White. When I am playing with corn meal I am likely to use some comercial brand (Klein's still has the good stuff) and some polenta whirled in the food processor, probably channeling Alton Brown.
We had two inches in Bel Air.
Posted by: MD Canon | January 20, 2009 12:08 AM
Yes, what is the difference between yellow and white cornmeal? I have both in my cupboard, just because I generally try to follow a recipe fairly carefully the first time through, but I wonder why I need both.
Posted by: Dahlink | January 20, 2009 6:24 AM
White and yellow cornmeal are made from, respectively, white and yellow corn. They are interchangeable in recipes, although white cornmeal is traditional for cornbread.
Posted by: Jon Parker | January 20, 2009 10:16 AM
Maybe it's the difference in color or maybe it is just me, but it often seems like white cornmeal is ground a little finer than yellow cornmeal.
Posted by: MD Canon | January 20, 2009 10:55 AM
...white cornmeal is traditional for cornbread.
Both the 2008 and 2007 winners of the Cornbread Championship in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee appear to have used yellow.
Yeah, but that's South Pittsburgh. I know it well. EL
Posted by: Bucky | January 20, 2009 12:18 PM
Only suckers would buy popover mix for that price!
If you were a real fan of popovers - and baking in general - you would know that the ingrediants were the easy part.
I hope you mean that you in a generic way, not me personally. :-) EL
Posted by: worldlytraveller | January 20, 2009 12:45 PM
Isn't that the big, definitive Cornbread Festival, EL? Tell me if it's not, because I've planned on going to it one day.
Cornbread...mmmm.
Posted by: Bucky | January 20, 2009 1:06 PM
I think my grandmother (who came from Texas) used yellow cornmeal when she made cornbread.
Posted by: Dahlink | January 20, 2009 2:59 PM
The Safeway in Long Reach Village, Columbia, has both Indian Head and Washington white cornmeal. Didn't notice if either was stone-ground.
Posted by: Retired in Elkridge | January 20, 2009 3:59 PM
I thought the company that packaged the Washington brand had gotten out of that business? RiE, you might want to check the dates on those packages.
Posted by: Hal Laurent | January 20, 2009 5:53 PM
Hal -- the Washington brand of corn meal is still very much in business, per its website. (However, they did discontinue their retail mixes, such as the Washington cornbread and gingerbread mixes.) The same company also happens to make the Indian Head brand of corn meal.
Posted by: hmpstd | January 20, 2009 6:31 PM
Thanks, hmpstd! That must be what I was remembering.
Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR | January 20, 2009 8:59 PM
Aw heck, no more Washington cornbread or gingerbread mixes? Damn, I liked them--perfect size for family of three!
Posted by: Dottie | January 22, 2009 1:41 AM
After testing dozens of recipes over the years, I'm still questing for the quintessential cornbread recipe. My favourite is from Sylvia's Restaurant in NYC: http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/eatingout/eating_s/cornbread.htm . But I'm willing to keep on trying. Do you think it's all about the cornmeal to flour ratio? Does yellow vs. white matter (I use yellow)? Does anyone have a cornbread recipe that omits flour? Thanks in advance.
Posted by: Donna Beth Joy Shapiro | January 22, 2009 7:33 AM