Cornbread Country

by Nancy Henderson

The line snaking toward Cornbread Alley grows longer as hungry festival-goers take turns sampling the treats. Shuffling past buffet-style booths, they hold out their plates for spoonfuls of applesauce raisin cornbread, jalapeno-laced hushpuppies and more. Some folks take the eat-as-you-go approach; others politely resist temptation and wait till the end of the line to devour the savory samples.

Held each spring in South Pittsburg, Tenn., the National Cornbread Festival pays tribute to one of the South’s favorite foods. The mouth-watering event was born when a group of locals, worried that a new highway bypass would divert too much traffic away from their picturesque valley town, got together to brainstorm. Why not capitalize on the town’s best-known business, Lodge Manufacturing, where most of the nation’s cast-iron cookware is made? And what better theme than the king of all skillet-baked staples? Today, 10 years after its debut, the National Cornbread Festival draws 50,000 attendees annually to this town of 3,000.

“We receive so many e-mails from all over the world from people telling us about the cornbread someone in their family used to make and that their cast iron skillets have been handed down from generation to generation,” says festival organizer Teena Hewgley.

In addition to the ever-popular “Alley” and vendors who sell everything from salsa cornbread to cornbread salad, the festival features buttermilk-chugging contests, regional crafts and tours of South Pittsburg’s circa-1900 neighborhoods. A highlight is the Saturday cook-off, which draws contestants from as far as California. Past entries include bug bread (thankfully, black beans were substituted for the real thing) and shrimp Creole cornbread.

“One of the former cook-off champions was being interviewed by a TV station in her hometown,” Hewgley recalls. “When he asked her what was so neat about the National Cornbread Festival, she stated, ‘When you get there from the East you must set your clock back one hour and your attitude back about 30 years.’”

This year’s festival runs April 28-29. For more information, go to www.nationalcornbread.com or call (423) 837-0022.

Monte Cristo Cornbread Skillet Supper

Mark Boughton

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Janice Elder of Charlotte, N.C., walked away with the grand prize for her spin on the classic egg-dipped sandwich at the 2006 Cornbread Festival cook-off sponsored by Martha White.

Ingredients

1 (7- ounce) package cornbread mix
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup chopped cooked ham
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
4 eggs
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey mustard, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup currant jelly
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Prepare cornbread mix according to package directions, except bake in a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet. (Cornbread will be thin.) Remove from skillet; cool and cut into cubes. Wipe out skillet with paper towels; grease generously.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place cornbread cubes in skillet. Top with turkey, ham and shredded cheese. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, salt and pepper until well blended. Pour evenly over meat and cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set and lightly browned.
3. Warm currant jelly slightly to melt. Add 1 tablespoon honey mustard; whisk to blend.
4. Remove skillet from oven. Cut in wedges, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve with currant jelly and mustard sauce. Serves 8.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 430 calories, 17g fat, 31g prot., 36g carbs., 2g fiber, 874mg sodium.

Nancy Henderson is a freelance writer in Chattanooga, Tenn.