The Cornbread Book: A Love Story with Recipes

By Jeremy Jackson

Book Overview

Jeremy Jackson has four goals: Make cornbread one word. Once and for all. Have cornbread named the official bread of the United States. Find a wife. Think outside the box of cornmeal about the Possibilities, potentialities, and promises of cornbread.

Cornbread is the American bread. The by-the-people-for-the-people bread. So it should be put forth to the people with humor. And a whole lot of butter.

The Cornbread Book does just that with recipes for cornbreads, fritters, hush puppies, and biscuits. Cornbreads of the sweet persuasion appear, too, from biscotti to pound cake. And there are yeast breads such as Anadama Batter Bread and Cornmeal Pizza Dough. Don't forget timeless favorites like spoonbread, buttermilk cornbread, and popovers. Not to mention Gospel Buns, Sweet Potato Cupcakes, and Honey Snail (which doesn't come within ten miles of an actual snail).

Cornbread doesn't even have to be made with cornmeal. Hominy-Leek Monkey Bread has riced hominy. And Jeremy is as proud as a peacock to have come up with three yeast breads made with flour he milled from popped popcorn (Popcorn White Loaf, Popcorn Pita Bread, and Popcorn Focaccia). In the unlikely event you have any leftover cornbread, Jeremy has recipes for cornbread salad, croutons, and dressing.

And if you ever meet Jeremy, he might just sing you The Cornbread Song . . .

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060096799
• ISBN13: 9780060096793
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.7" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

My copy is lightly dusted with cornmeal...

I've had this book since it was published in 2003, and at this point, my copy is lightly dusted with cornmeal from near-constant use. Sure, Jackson's prose is laugh-out-loud, read-it-to-the-nearest-person funny, but this book is a keeper because the recipes are terrific. By now I've surely memorized the recipe for Sweet Cornbread, but I still like to take out this sunny little yellow book and prop it open while I bake.

Cornbread at it's best!

Mr. Jackson's book is not only informative but the recipes are the best I've ever found. There's nothing like a "from scratch" recipe for full flavor and these cornbread recipes have proven to be great for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. This is definitely a book for all of us cornbread lovers.

Swoon-worthy!

What a fresh voice to discover in the cookbook aisle--I was so charmed that I paid full-price! (And the recipes are fabulous, too.) As someone who once longed for an MFA of her own but is now in culinary school studying pastry arts, I couldn't possibly be more appreciative of Mr. Jackson's talents--unless he were to provide color commentary all day long while I baked. I will without doubt be purchasing his other efforts, both literary & culinary.

Read it and eat!

I confess to not having tried a single recipe yet, but this book gets five stars from me just for the read. Jeremy Jackson is the next Edouard de Pomiane - very, very funny, surprising, smart, literate, and enthusiastic. Even if you hate cornbread (one word, note), you must have it. Buy it, read it, laugh out loud, and preheat your oven to 350F, because you, like me, will be dying to pup a butter-slathered hunk of cornbread down the hatch before you get half-way through.

Great recipes, hilarious anecdotes

This is the kind of cookbook that is as entertaining as it is useful. I've already used three of the recipes (my kids are big fans of cornbread in all its various forms), and all were winners. Gem & Pearl muffins are a decadent breakfast treat, and the two types of cornbread we made were a big hit: suffice to say that there were no leftovers. Next time we'll have to make double batches. Jackson is very funny and charming, and his deep appreciation for his subject comes through on every page. I think we'll be breaking this book out on a regular basis!