Tony's Southern Comfort

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

anyone been there? the new Tx Monthly came out and it ranks
Tony's as one of the best (if not THE best) in every category of
comfort food.

i'm trying it this afternoon. got the magazine on Monday and
have been dying to go since.

david

[Cooter Brown]

I've been there twice. I think it is better than Hoovers. Definitely
better priced.

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

On 3 Nov 2005 15:32:20 -0800, "Cooter Brown"

Post by Cooter Brown
I've been there twice. I think it is better than Hoovers. Definitely
better priced.

i went today for a late lunch - my first meal of the day.

they have a small parking lot in back. i walked in the door and
a man told me to just have a seat anywhere. i sat down, and
waited. and waited. i waited two, maybe three minutes before
the guy that looked at me when i walked in the door brought me a
menu and a glass of water. then i sat for another five minutes
or so before he looked at me again. apparently, he wasn't
supposed to be my waiter. i don't think he was even waitstaff -
maybe the manager or something.

he took my order, and it came out maybe 10 or 15 minutes later.
i can't say it any better than Tx Monthly - the CFS was very,
very good. the mashed potatos bordered on cold - but they were
tasty. and the mixed squash - zucchini and yellow - was
delicious. all for only $8.25.

i bought a pecan pie, too, for $9. the sweet potato pie's
supposed to be the best - i'll get it next time.

oh, if you go, don't sit in the room with the TV. it was on
really loud; very distracting.

david

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

On Fri, 04 Nov 2005 01:31:06 GMT, Ruzinthra the Ruki

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
On 3 Nov 2005 15:32:20 -0800, "Cooter Brown"

Post by Cooter Brown
I've been there twice. I think it is better than Hoovers. Definitely
better priced.

i went today for a late lunch - my first meal of the day.
they have a small parking lot in back. i walked in the door and
a man told me to just have a seat anywhere. i sat down, and
waited. and waited. i waited two, maybe three minutes before
the guy that looked at me when i walked in the door brought me a
menu and a glass of water. then i sat for another five minutes
or so before he looked at me again. apparently, he wasn't
supposed to be my waiter. i don't think he was even waitstaff -
maybe the manager or something.
he took my order, and it came out maybe 10 or 15 minutes later.
i can't say it any better than Tx Monthly - the CFS was very,
very good. the mashed potatos bordered on cold - but they were
tasty. and the mixed squash - zucchini and yellow - was
delicious. all for only $8.25.
i bought a pecan pie, too, for $9. the sweet potato pie's
supposed to be the best - i'll get it next time.
oh, if you go, don't sit in the room with the TV. it was on
really loud; very distracting.

oh, one really bad, unforgivable thing - they served margarine
with the cornbread. but they did have honey, and that almost
made up for it!

david

[motorblade]

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
On Fri, 04 Nov 2005 01:31:06 GMT, Ruzinthra the Ruki

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
On 3 Nov 2005 15:32:20 -0800, "Cooter Brown"

Post by Cooter Brown
I've been there twice. I think it is better than Hoovers. Definitely
better priced.

i went today for a late lunch - my first meal of the day.
they have a small parking lot in back. i walked in the door and
a man told me to just have a seat anywhere. i sat down, and
waited. and waited. i waited two, maybe three minutes before
the guy that looked at me when i walked in the door brought me a
menu and a glass of water. then i sat for another five minutes
or so before he looked at me again. apparently, he wasn't
supposed to be my waiter. i don't think he was even waitstaff -
maybe the manager or something.
he took my order, and it came out maybe 10 or 15 minutes later.
i can't say it any better than Tx Monthly - the CFS was very,
very good. the mashed potatos bordered on cold - but they were
tasty. and the mixed squash - zucchini and yellow - was
delicious. all for only $8.25.
i bought a pecan pie, too, for $9. the sweet potato pie's
supposed to be the best - i'll get it next time.
oh, if you go, don't sit in the room with the TV. it was on
really loud; very distracting.

oh, one really bad, unforgivable thing - they served margarine
with the cornbread. but they did have honey, and that almost
made up for it!
david
--
213/194/190

I am curious why margarine is unforgivable, you are apparently working
on losing weight , from your signature. I would think a simple request
for butter to the waiter would have brought it forth, or perhaps they
ran out of butter. As a former restaurant manager you could often
order something like butter and have Cisco be out of product and make
the decision not to run to HEB for it. Perhaps the waiter forgot to
apologize for the lack of product before he brought you the cornbread.

fritz

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

Post by motorblade
I am curious why margarine is unforgivable, you are apparently working
on losing weight , from your signature. I would think a simple request
for butter to the waiter would have brought it forth, or perhaps they
ran out of butter. As a former restaurant manager you could often
order something like butter and have Cisco be out of product and make
the decision not to run to HEB for it. Perhaps the waiter forgot to
apologize for the lack of product before he brought you the cornbread.

are you trying to bait me?

margarine is trans fat. trans fat can lead to heart attack.
yes, butter is saturated fat, but i'd rather have that than trans
fat. and no, i didn't yell at the waiter that i wasn't coming
back since he didn't have butter. i didn't even ask if they had
butter. they probably did.

in any case, the meal was excellent overall.

david

[motorblade]

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki

Post by motorblade
I am curious why margarine is unforgivable, you are apparently working
on losing weight , from your signature. I would think a simple request
for butter to the waiter would have brought it forth, or perhaps they
ran out of butter. As a former restaurant manager you could often
order something like butter and have Cisco be out of product and make
the decision not to run to HEB for it. Perhaps the waiter forgot to
apologize for the lack of product before he brought you the cornbread.

are you trying to bait me?

Bait you? I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't play those
games.

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
margarine is trans fat.

These days alot of margarine is free of trans fat....i get nice trans
fat free margarine at the store

trans fat can lead to heart attack.

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
yes, butter is saturated fat, but i'd rather have that than trans
fat. and no, i didn't yell at the waiter that i wasn't coming
back since he didn't have butter.

I didn't think you yelled at him...jeeze almighty calm down you might
have a heart attack.


i didn't even ask if they had

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
butter. they probably did.

So what was unforgiveable about margarine? That was my question....is
it the flavor, the trans fat or just tradition with cornbread? Its not
bait , it just a question.

If it was "unforgiveable" i just wondered why you didn't just ask for
butter...i'm geussing now you were just exaggerating a wee bit and it
wasn't actually unforgiveable since you say the meal was excellent.
Its a minor point , but since you saw fit to add it as an addendum to
your review I was just asking for "clarification"....get it... clarify
the butter comment har har...a lil chef humor.

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki
in any case, the meal was excellent overall.
david
--
213/194/190

fritz

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

Post by motorblade
If it was "unforgiveable" i just wondered why you didn't just ask for
butter...i'm geussing now you were just exaggerating a wee bit and it
wasn't actually unforgiveable since you say the meal was excellent.
Its a minor point , but since you saw fit to add it as an addendum to
your review I was just asking for "clarification"....get it... clarify
the butter comment har har...a lil chef humor.

ha ha h...

anyway, "unforgivable" was probably poor word choice. i realize
that a lot of people like margarine; i am not one of those
people.

david

[James]

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki

Post by motorblade
If it was "unforgiveable" i just wondered why you didn't just ask for
butter...i'm geussing now you were just exaggerating a wee bit and it
wasn't actually unforgiveable since you say the meal was excellent.
Its a minor point , but since you saw fit to add it as an addendum to
your review I was just asking for "clarification"....get it... clarify
the butter comment har har...a lil chef humor.

ha ha h...
anyway, "unforgivable" was probably poor word choice. i realize
that a lot of people like margarine; i am not one of those
people.

Butter is much "better" for you than margarine. Margarine will send you to
an early grave. I think restaurants should offer butter instead of
margarine because surely many people have come to understand just how bad
the fake stuff is.


James

[a***@ev1.net]

OK, back to the original topic of this thread and leaving behind the
'butter vs. margarine' debate....
Our family also went last week on the strength of the Texas Monthly
article, and I have to say I was underwhelmed. Not sure what people
see in this place.
We ordered CFS, fried pork chops, cheese enchiladas (for the vegetarian
in the bunch) and fried chicken wings--the only fried chicken on the
menu that wasn't a boned breast. Right off the bat you know you're in
trouble when you can't order a proper plate of fried chicken in a soul
food joint.
CFS was OK but certainly not the best I had ever eaten, not even the
best in Austin. Threadgill's has it beat, and Broken Spoke has it
tied. Choice of sides was pretty limited too, if you didn't go for the
tried and true mashed potatoes and cream gravy.
15 minutes after the order was taken, our waitress came out to tell us
they were out of guacamole for the cheese enchiladas, and would we like
another side to compensate? This was a deal-breaker for ordering the
dish in the first place, but it had already been started. Not a very
professional level of service, that.
Collards were weak, watery, lukewarm, and bitter. No trace of bacon in
the dish or in the flavor. Chicken wings were stingy in size and
overcooked to dryness. Accompanying Texas Toast was part grilled and
part not, and bordering on soggy.
Best thing on the table, and the only thing worth repeating in my
opinion, was the fried pork chops. Would get them grilled next time,
however. They were generous and moist. But I truly don't think there
will be a next time, not for a while. I can think of several places
that beat the pants off TSC, first and foremost Threadgills.

Post by James

Post by Ruzinthra the Ruki

Post by motorblade
If it was "unforgiveable" i just wondered why you didn't just ask for
butter...i'm geussing now you were just exaggerating a wee bit and it
wasn't actually unforgiveable since you say the meal was excellent.
Its a minor point , but since you saw fit to add it as an addendum to
your review I was just asking for "clarification"....get it... clarify
the butter comment har har...a lil chef humor.

ha ha h...
anyway, "unforgivable" was probably poor word choice. i realize
that a lot of people like margarine; i am not one of those
people.

Butter is much "better" for you than margarine. Margarine will send you to
an early grave. I think restaurants should offer butter instead of
margarine because surely many people have come to understand just how bad
the fake stuff is.
James

[motorblade]

***@ev1.net wrote:
OK, back to the original topic of this thread and leaving behind the
'butter vs. margarine' debate....


I don't think there was a debate. I certainly prefer butter for flavor
reasons myself. Apparently from some research I have read there are
certain senses (olfactory and others) that react more exclusively to
butter and saturated fats than to margarine and other non-saturated
fats, such that its hard to get the same internal "satisfaction" from
eating these non-saturated food items.

I don't think, with the recent "trans fat" scare that many margarines
use them, at least from my observations at the grocery store most tout
"no trans fat" this doesn't make them better neccesarily, but ones
reasons would need to go beyond simply the presence of trans fat. Like
taste and the presence of other oils and their effects, for instance.

Here is a tangent(since you mention Threadgills) one of the secrets i
learned about cornbread from helping open Threadgills North Lamar
location was putting a bit of oil in the pan and letting it heat up in
a really hot oven, you then pour the room temperature batter(that has
had time to rise a bit) directly into the hot pan(a thick aluminum
restaurant style cornbread pan works best) you can see the batter begin
to cook in the hot oil as you swiftly return it to a blazing hot
(400-450 degree) oven (convection oven works best) ...the result is a
crispy chewy crust that has risen up a bit at the edges and a beautiful
high rise on the rest, with a bit of nice browning everywhere.....bland
yellow cornbread that is homogenous from crust to top is indicative of
none of these techniques , but is what you usually get at cafeterias
and most restaurants....I doubt even Threadgills still spends the time
to get this homemade cornbread look and texture , but when we opened we
liked to work on these nuances.

We also rendered our oil for cream gravy roux directly from cooking up
piles of beef bones and then working up the roux from the drippings in
the pans...i seriously doubt they still follow this process.

we made some real homecooked southern food back then...after
Threadgills North burnt down and then rebuilt and expanded, many the
original technicques were moved "beyond"
as new chefs and increased volume "evolved" the menu and techniques

fritz

[J. Steven Swinnea]

Post by motorblade
to cook in the hot oil as you swiftly return it to a blazing hot
(400-450 degree) oven (convection oven works best) ...the result is a
crispy chewy crust that has risen up a bit at the edges and a beautiful
high rise on the rest, with a bit of nice browning everywhere.....bland
yellow cornbread that is homogenous from crust to top is indicative of
none of these techniques , but is what you usually get at cafeterias
and most restaurants....I doubt even Threadgills still spends the time
to get this homemade cornbread look and texture , but when we opened we
liked to work on these nuances.
We also rendered our oil for cream gravy roux directly from cooking up
piles of beef bones and then working up the roux from the drippings in
the pans...i seriously doubt they still follow this process.
we made some real homecooked southern food back then...after
Threadgills North burnt down and then rebuilt and expanded, many the
original technicques were moved "beyond"
as new chefs and increased volume "evolved" the menu and techniques

You know I've never really thought much about why Threadgills food has
come to bother me. I suppose I've marked it up to increased volume in
the kitchens. Just hadn't traced volume back to lack of attention to
detail.

S.

[Ruzinthra the Ruki]

On Fri, 11 Nov 2005 13:40:52 +0000 (UTC),

Post by J. Steven Swinnea
You know I've never really thought much about why Threadgills food has
come to bother me. I suppose I've marked it up to increased volume in
the kitchens. Just hadn't traced volume back to lack of attention to
detail.

yeah, i don't know if things have changed in the last five years,
but the last time i had CFS at Threadgills, it tasted like one of
those frozen, breaded steak patties that you get at the grocery
store.

david

[Chris]

Post by motorblade
Here is a tangent(since you mention Threadgills) one of the secrets i
learned about cornbread from helping open Threadgills North Lamar
location was putting a bit of oil in the pan and letting it heat up in
a really hot oven, you then pour the room temperature batter(that has
had time to rise a bit) directly into the hot pan(a thick aluminum
restaurant style cornbread pan works best) you can see the batter begin
to cook in the hot oil as you swiftly return it to a blazing hot
(400-450 degree) oven (convection oven works best) ...the result is a
crispy chewy crust that has risen up a bit at the edges and a beautiful
high rise on the rest, with a bit of nice browning everywhere.....bland
yellow cornbread that is homogenous from crust to top is indicative of
none of these techniques , but is what you usually get at cafeterias
and most restaurants....I doubt even Threadgills still spends the time
to get this homemade cornbread look and texture , but when we opened we
liked to work on these nuances.

Agree wholeheartedly. This technique makes great cornbread with a
crispy crust. The Cook's Illustrated southern cornbread recipe uses
this technique and makes delicious cornbread. They recommend an 8"
cast iron skillet.

-Chris
http://auslunch.com/

[motorblade]

Post by Chris

Post by motorblade
Here is a tangent(since you mention Threadgills) one of the secrets i
learned about cornbread from helping open Threadgills North Lamar
location was putting a bit of oil in the pan and letting it heat up in
a really hot oven, you then pour the room temperature batter(that has
had time to rise a bit) directly into the hot pan(a thick aluminum
restaurant style cornbread pan works best) you can see the batter begin
to cook in the hot oil as you swiftly return it to a blazing hot
(400-450 degree) oven (convection oven works best) ...the result is a
crispy chewy crust that has risen up a bit at the edges and a beautiful
high rise on the rest, with a bit of nice browning everywhere.....bland
yellow cornbread that is homogenous from crust to top is indicative of
none of these techniques , but is what you usually get at cafeterias
and most restaurants....I doubt even Threadgills still spends the time
to get this homemade cornbread look and texture , but when we opened we
liked to work on these nuances.

Agree wholeheartedly. This technique makes great cornbread with a
crispy crust. The Cook's Illustrated southern cornbread recipe uses
this technique and makes delicious cornbread. They recommend an 8"
cast iron skillet.
-Chris
http://auslunch.com/

Oh yeah a cast iron skillet would really do the trick especially with
out a fancy convection oven to bring the temp back up quickly.
Aluminum doesn't hold as much heat as cast iron for sure.


fritz

[PatDugan]

Oh yeah a cast iron skillet would really do the trick especially with
out a fancy convection oven to bring the temp back up quickly.
Aluminum doesn't hold as much heat as cast iron for sure.

fritz

*************


I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.

I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.

I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.

First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.


RECIPE:

Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.

A spoonful or two of flour

A spoon of sugar

A couple of eggs

Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.

NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)

Mix together


Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)

Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)

Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.

Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.

The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.


Enjoy!


Pat

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Permission please to re-post this to rec.food.cooking, with credit to
you? :-)

Post by PatDugan
I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.
I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.
I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.
First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.
Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.
A spoonful or two of flour
A spoon of sugar
A couple of eggs
Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.
NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)
Mix together
Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)
Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)
Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.
Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.
The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.
Enjoy!
Pat

[PatDugan]

I'm honored! Of course you may.


Pat

******

Permission please to re-post this to rec.food.cooking, with credit to
you? :-)

Om.

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Thank you!!!

It was such a unique approach to it with the bacon in the bottom. :-)
I'm adding your recipe back to the bottom of this post and cross-posting.
It's also gone into my recipe collection on the hard drive. <G>

Cheers!

Post by PatDugan
I'm honored! Of course you may.
Pat
******
Permission please to re-post this to rec.food.cooking, with credit to
you? :-)
Om.

From: "PatDugan" <***@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: austin.food
Subject: Re: Tony's Southern Comfort/ Cornbread secrets
Date: 12 Nov 2005 18:27:43 -0800
*************

I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.

I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.

I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.

First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.


RECIPE:

Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.

A spoonful or two of flour

A spoon of sugar

A couple of eggs

Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.

NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)

Mix together


Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)

Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)

Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.

Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.

The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.


Enjoy!


Pat

[Spitzmaus]

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet
Thank you!!!
It was such a unique approach to it with the bacon in the bottom. :-)
I'm adding your recipe back to the bottom of this post and cross-posting.
It's also gone into my recipe collection on the hard drive. <G>
Cheers!

Post by PatDugan
I'm honored! Of course you may.
Pat
******
Permission please to re-post this to rec.food.cooking, with credit to
you? :-)
Om.

Newsgroups: austin.food
Subject: Re: Tony's Southern Comfort/ Cornbread secrets
Date: 12 Nov 2005 18:27:43 -0800
*************
I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.
I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.
I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.
First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.
Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.
A spoonful or two of flour
A spoon of sugar
A couple of eggs
Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.
NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)
Mix together
Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)
Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)
Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.
Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.
The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.
Enjoy!
Pat
--
Om.
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

My my my my my! I'm adapting this method to my own favorite cornbread
recipe, but will omit the oil. And of *course* one must use a cast iron
skillet! Another type of pan?? It's just not *done*!! Happily, I'm lucky
to have three pieces of my Southern mama's well-seasoned cast iron, one of
which will I'll use to make what should surely be a comforting, bacon-y pan
of cornbread.

Thanks so much for sharing Tony's secret!

Spitz

[motorblade]

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet
Thank you!!!
It was such a unique approach to it with the bacon in the bottom. :-)
I'm adding your recipe back to the bottom of this post and cross-posting.
It's also gone into my recipe collection on the hard drive. <G>
Cheers!

Post by PatDugan
I'm honored! Of course you may.
Pat
******
Permission please to re-post this to rec.food.cooking, with credit to
you? :-)
Om.

Newsgroups: austin.food
Subject: Re: Tony's Southern Comfort/ Cornbread secrets
Date: 12 Nov 2005 18:27:43 -0800
*************
I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.
I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.
I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.
First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.
Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.
A spoonful or two of flour
A spoon of sugar
A couple of eggs
Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.
NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)
Mix together
Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)
Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)
Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.
Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.
The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.
Enjoy!
Pat
--
Om.
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack

Nicholson
My my my my my! I'm adapting this method to my own favorite cornbread
recipe, but will omit the oil. And of *course* one must use a cast iron
skillet! Another type of pan?? It's just not *done*!! Happily, I'm lucky
to have three pieces of my Southern mama's well-seasoned cast iron, one of
which will I'll use to make what should surely be a comforting, bacon-y pan
of cornbread.
Thanks so much for sharing Tony's secret!

I don't think this was Tony's secrets... the hot pan is old wisdom and
the bacon was an Appalachian secret(apparently)

Post by OmManiPadmeOmelet
Spitz
--
"Home, James, and don't spare the horses!"

[Spitzmaus]

Post by motorblade
I don't think this was Tony's secrets... the hot pan is old wisdom and
the bacon was an Appalachian secret(apparently)

Yes, I grew up with the "hot cast iron skillet" wisdom, and have never baked
a batch of cornbread in anything *but* hot cast iron. The "bacon on the
bottom," however, is new to me; I've done cracklin' cornbread, but that's
not quite the same thing.

So again, thanks to Tony, Appalachia, Pat, austin.food . . .

Spitz

[Elaine Parrish]

This is a lot like my grandmother's method, which I have always used. The
recipe is almost exact. We southerners believe in that self-rising flour
and cornmeal, which is white. Yellow cornmeal, generally, is coarser and
doesn't bake up as light and fluffy.

Instead of putting the strips of bacon in the pan, we use "bacon
drippins". We pour a layer of "drippins" in the cast iron skillet about
1/2 inch deep. When the batter is poured in, the "drippins" rise up around
the batter about half way.

In order to make a crispy crust on the bottoms and sides, put the
"drippins" in the skillet and put it in the oven while the oven is
heating. Pour the batter into the hot pan and the bottom and sides will
"set". Bake at usual.

There's not much in the kitchen that some bacon "drippins" won't improve
considerably - except your heart, maybe.

When my great-grandfather was in his 90s, we would tease him when he'd sit
down to eat his 2 fried (in sausage "drippins") eggs, two pieces of
sausage, 2 cathead biscuits (made with lard) slathered in homechurned
butter, and another biscuit hidden beneath the milk gravy made out of the
sausage drippins. We'd tell him that kind of food would kill him. He'd
laugh. But, it did kill him. He was 102. As he was fond of saying, "We've
all gotta go sometime."

Elaine, too

[PatDugan]

Yeah, my family did the bacon-dripping thing, too. EVERY kitchen
stovetop MUST have a container to save the drippings! It goes in
everything: meat, veg, bread, etc.

If you want food schizophrenia, grow up in Applachian KY with a mom who
was born and raised in the Azores Islands, Portugal. The best cooking
of two worlds.


Pat

[Elaine Parrish]

Post by PatDugan
Yeah, my family did the bacon-dripping thing, too. EVERY kitchen
stovetop MUST have a container to save the drippings! It goes in
everything: meat, veg, bread, etc.
If you want food schizophrenia, grow up in Applachian KY with a mom who
was born and raised in the Azores Islands, Portugal. The best cooking
of two worlds.
Pat

You said it! How people cook without bacon drippings is beyond me!

I had a friend whose ancestors were from Portugal .Oh, wow, was
that some great food. What is the name of that wonderful sausage? When I
was visiting in Boston we had it for breakfast and on Pizza (that was the
best pizza I ever ate) and on a bun, like a hoagie bun with all kinds of
stuff on it. Gee, it was great.

Elaine, too

[Spitzmaus]

Elaine Parrish

Post by Elaine Parrish
You said it! How people cook without bacon drippings is beyond me!
I had a friend whose ancestors were from Portugal .Oh, wow, was
that some great food. What is the name of that wonderful sausage? When I
was visiting in Boston we had it for breakfast and on Pizza (that was the
best pizza I ever ate) and on a bun, like a hoagie bun with all kinds of
stuff on it. Gee, it was great.
Elaine, too

Would that be linguicia?? That's the most commonly available sausage from
Portugal in these parts. And speaking of sausage, I adore that Portuguese
white bean, kale and sausage soup, the name of which escapes me at the
moment.

Spitz, another fan of bacon drippings

[PatDugan]

Elaine Parrish

Post by Elaine Parrish
You said it! How people cook without bacon drippings is beyond me!
I had a friend whose ancestors were from Portugal .Oh, wow, was
that some great food. What is the name of that wonderful sausage? When I
was visiting in Boston we had it for breakfast and on Pizza (that was the
best pizza I ever ate) and on a bun, like a hoagie bun with all kinds of
stuff on it. Gee, it was great.
Elaine, too

Would that be linguicia?? That's the most commonly available sausage
from
Portugal in these parts. And speaking of sausage, I adore that
Portuguese
white bean, kale and sausage soup, the name of which escapes me at the
moment.

Spitz, another fan of bacon drippings

*********************

It would be either the linguica or chourico (not like the chorizo
around here). If you Google it, you can find several places (around
Fall River, MA, mainly) that will ship it to you. I usually wait until
around January and have it sent vacuum packed.

The sausage is Portuguese equivalent of bacon drippings. It goes in
everything! I like to brown small pieces and add scrambled eggs to
cook together. It's great to flavor oil when making french fries. Put a
nice piece in with a beef or pork roast. Mmmm...


Pat


Pat

[aem]

Post by PatDugan
It would be either the linguica or chourico (not like the chorizo
around here). If you Google it, you can find several places (around
Fall River, MA, mainly) that will ship it to you. I usually wait until
around January and have it sent vacuum packed.
The sausage is Portuguese equivalent of bacon drippings. It goes in
everything! I like to brown small pieces and add scrambled eggs to
cook together. It's great to flavor oil when making french fries. Put a
nice piece in with a beef or pork roast. Mmmm...

Fortunately, the Portuguese really got around the world and the sailors
left a lot of mementos behind wherever they went, including some of
their cuisine. Portuguese sausage and eggs is a favorite breakfast --
in Hawaii. -aem

[PatDugan]

Fortunately, the Portuguese really got around the world and the sailors
left a lot of mementos behind wherever they went, including some of
their cuisine. Portuguese sausage and eggs is a favorite breakfast --
in Hawaii. -aem


**************

Yeah, I heard McDonald's in Hawaii even has it on their menu.
Unfortunately, I don't have firsthand experience (of Hawaii, not
necessarily McD's). ;-)


Pat

[motorblade]

Post by motorblade
Oh yeah a cast iron skillet would really do the trick especially with
out a fancy convection oven to bring the temp back up quickly.
Aluminum doesn't hold as much heat as cast iron for sure.
fritz
*************
I'm fairly new here. I'm not a born Austinite (or Texan for that
matter). I'm originally from Appalachian KY, right across the border
from WV.
I thought I'd share a recipe given to me by an old man who used to work
as a cook for the railroad. I'm talking crew, not passengers. Our
trains tend to mainly haul coal.
I can't give you 'exact' measures, because I wasn't given any. You have
to 'eyeball' it.
First off, the cornmeal of choice in my area of the mountains is white
cornmeal. You're welcome to try it with yellow, if you prefer.
Self-rising cornmeal (we'd use Martha White). Just pour some in a bowl
into it looks like you have enough.
A spoonful or two of flour
A spoon of sugar
A couple of eggs
Buttermilk until you have it the right consistency.
NO OIL (you'll see why in a sec)
Mix together
Pull out your cast iron skillet (I don't think this will work with
anything else)
Lay strips of your favorite bacon across the bottom to cover (don't
worry if it goes up the sides)
Pour your batter in and bake in a hot oven 'til golden brown and baked
through.
Flip out onto plate - bottom side up.
The bacon drippings will seep up into the cornbread to flavor it and
the bacon will crisp up and imbed itself on the (now) top crust.
Enjoy!
Pat

I wonder if you could heat up the pan ahead drop the bacon on and then
pour in the batter and get the heated pan effect with the bacon effect
as well

worth an experiment or two....a well seasoned cast iron skillet usually
has plenty of oil residing in it to reduce sticking

fritz

[PatDugan]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. It does crisp up pretty good without
heating up the pan, but experimentation is always good.

I just experimented earlier tonight with a meatloaf made with Italian
bread crumbs, romano and paremsan in the ground beef part, a layer of
Italian sausage (removed from casing) and a layer of mozarella - all
rolled up. I also substituted left-over marinara sauce for ketchup. It
came out pretty good!


Pat


*****

I wonder if you could heat up the pan ahead drop the bacon on and then

pour in the batter and get the heated pan effect with the bacon effect
as well

worth an experiment or two....a well seasoned cast iron skillet usually

has plenty of oil residing in it to reduce sticking


fritz

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Pat,

You belong at rec.food.cooking. ;-)
If you do join, just watch out for the list troll, Sheldon, and don't
judge the rest of the list by him! It's really a super great group.

Just high volume. <G>

Cheers!

Post by PatDugan
I don't see why it wouldn't work. It does crisp up pretty good without
heating up the pan, but experimentation is always good.
I just experimented earlier tonight with a meatloaf made with Italian
bread crumbs, romano and paremsan in the ground beef part, a layer of
Italian sausage (removed from casing) and a layer of mozarella - all
rolled up. I also substituted left-over marinara sauce for ketchup. It
came out pretty good!
Pat
*****
I wonder if you could heat up the pan ahead drop the bacon on and then
pour in the batter and get the heated pan effect with the bacon effect
as well
worth an experiment or two....a well seasoned cast iron skillet usually
has plenty of oil residing in it to reduce sticking
fritz

[PatDugan]

Sounds good, I just signed up!



Pat

[OmManiPadmeOmelet]

Post by PatDugan
Sounds good, I just signed up!
Pat

Welcome! :-)

[Chris]

Post by motorblade
I wonder if you could heat up the pan ahead drop the bacon on and then
pour in the batter and get the heated pan effect with the bacon effect
as well
worth an experiment or two....a well seasoned cast iron skillet usually
has plenty of oil residing in it to reduce sticking
fritz

I think the hot hot pan before you pour in batter is essential, for the
crisp crust. The Cook's Illustrated recipe I mentioned actually
recommends using bacon drippings in the pan instead of oil.