Page 78 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2024

DINING
THE HISTORY OF
story and photos by
Chelsea Gieselmann
78 | October 2024
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
Cornbread, a quintessential Southern staple, has its roots in the ancient traditions
of Indigenous peoples who cultivated maize long before Europeans arrived in what
is now the United States. The earliest cornbread was likely made with just fresh ground cornmeal, water, and salt, and baked over hot rocks or coals, resulting in a different texture and flavor from what we’re familiar with today. When English settlers encountered this dish, they adapted it by adding sugar, eggs, and butter, transforming it into a sweeter, crumbly bread. The influence of Indigenous culinary traditions on English settlers was significant, and cornbread is a prime example of how these early influences shaped the foods we enjoy in the South today.
Cornbread takes on various delicious forms, from fried and baked to boiled and stuffed with cheese or seafood and even made into desserts here in the South. To create truly unique cornbread dishes, it’s essential to first master the basics. Here are three simple, down-home cornbread recipes that are perfect for adding a comforting touch to your next family dinner.
Chelsea Gieselmann is a mom, photographer, columnist, food blogger, and home-cook. Cooking has been
a passion of hers since she was
old enough to cut out biscuits with the mouth of a mason jar. Her great-grandmother taught her the basics and she is ever so grateful
to have been able to learn from
her. Since then, she has continued
to hone her craft, even beating
Alex Guarnaschelli on The Food Network’s Outchef’d!
Instagram: @Southrngritskitchen