Cornbread
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Chuck Denney
Cornbread is a lip-smacking southern treat that compliments just about any meal. Or it can be a meal in itself. When made by a gifted chef, it’s more like cake than anything else. And like shrimp in Forest Gump, there’s variety.
Vicki Lofty
“This year we have chicken cornbread dressing. We have pizza cornbread, taco cornbread, sweet potato cornbread.”
Chuck Denney
Vicki Lofty with UT Extension helps coordinate the annual Cornbread Festival in Marion County.
Some 50-thousand folks will come here to taste the town speciality in South Pittsburg. They’ll sample the work of some talented young cooks like these 4th grade 4-H’ers. Lofty likes it when cornbread brings kids and parents together.
Vickie Lofty
“This is a great opportunity for families to get in the kitchen and experiment and spend time together, and then children become interested in cooking, learn skills, learn how to measure, learn a lot of different things about baking.”
Chuck Denney
Who says cornbread is just bread? Here Italy meets southeast Tennessee. 4-H’er Nikki Moss makes pizza cornbread with her mom, but it can get a little messy.
Nikki Moss
“It’s sort of fun, but then we get to spilling stuff and she gets on to me. Yeah, moms will do that. Then my brother will come in and mess everything up. Brothers will do that too.”
Chuck Denney
For the kids, the rules are you must use one cup of Martha White cornmeal mix, and cook in a cast iron skillet. Other than that, no limits. If you struggle with peanut butter and jelly, wait ‘til you hear this recipe from Iron Skillet chef Ryan Desjarlais - cream of chicken cornbread.
Ryan Desjarlais
“It’s really good. We have basil, fontina cheese, chicken, heavy cream. We did a sauce for this cornbread that goes inside of the cornbread, and I thought that would make it really good, so we tried that. And it worked? It worked great.”
Chuck Denney
Meantime, when the cornbread is out of the oven, it’s time to eat. That’s it for this story - no corny ending.
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NOTE: You can learn more about this annual event - and get some great recipes - at the festival web site. That’s www.nationalcornbread.com
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