When I was little, one of the reasons I looked forward to the family trips we made from New York City to Boston was the corn cakes. Traveling by car on I-95, my father would make a rest stop just north of New Haven, Connecticut, at one of the thruway service islands. Savarin ran the restaurant concession and they sold what I thought were the most delicious toasted corn bread in the world. Maybe it was because we never ate out that made it all the more alluring, but the joy of eating that round, toasted cornbread has stayed imprinted in my happy memory bank.
My mom never baked corn bread. It was when I was a young wife and expanding the spectrum of my own oeuvre, that I added it to my repertoire of baked goods, The recipe that follows became a popular mainstay in the days of my catering company, Karen's Kitchen.
1 1/2 cups yellow (or blue) cornmeal
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
3 t baking powder
1/2 t sea salt
3 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
3/4 cup butter, melted
Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, blend together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the milk and butter, then stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Pour into an oiled 9" by 9" square baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean and dry. Let cool a bit before cutting into squares.
*Try substituting blue corn for a little variety. A basket laden with both yellow and blue corn muffins is quite attractive. The batter also works well in muffin form. You can also add sliced scallions, jalapenos, shredded cheese, chopped rosemary or thyme, blueberries... you get the idea. The cornbread is absolutely delicious served plain, but don't be shy to dress the recipe up with your own twists!
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