Monday, February 15, 2010 - Hot Food on a Cold Night

We completely failed to predict the size of the hungry, energetic, convivial crowd that came to Cornbread Supper on Presidents' Day 2010, one of the worst weather nights of our rather unusually cold and snowy winter. Three generations of two different families came, along with plenty of others, and we had a fine spicy time. Firsts tonight: First time we had two different dumpling dishes at the same Supper, first contribution of food labels by a capable and fully participating preschooler (see below), and the first homegrown dried beans (Vermont Cranberry) our household had ever produced.

The cranberry beans with cornmeal dumplings and onion jam were unintentionally spicy, but the chicken and dumplings were smooooth and calming.

Other fine tastes:

Farmer's Pasta (Cheese, Bacon)
Chicken & Dumplin's
Sour Cream/Buttermilk Cornbread (Vegetarian)
Cornbreads Redux: Triangles and muffins from past Suppers, reheated to add food for the hungry crowd
Salami and Cheese Plate
Homemade Maine Applesauce
Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes made with Trader Joe's Cocoa Powder + Beth Ellen's Cream Cheese Frosting! (Iced and decorated before interested witnesses)
Chocolate cake with cherry topping
Brownies
And more chocolate desserts!

Comments

Boone Tavern Spoon Bread, the 1950s recipe

We have tried spoonbreads (soft, luscious, buttery—described by James Beard as a "heavy, dense soufflé") as Cornbread Supper mainstays before, and used great recipes, but the spoonbreads always did what spoonbreads (and soufflés) do: deflate. Through serendipity, and thanks to a Cornbread Supperian, I lucked into the old Boone Tavern (Berea College) recipe for spoonbread, and it is far less droopy. Perhaps Boone Tavern developed an approach to spoonbread that preserves all its goodness while still working for a busy restaurant. In any case, with thanks to Kentucky food and foodways author and guru John van Willigen, here's an excellent recipe for that can be doubled, tripled, and quadrupled to feed spoonbread to a crowd. It did just that on Monday, February 25, 2013. From Richard T. Hougen. Look No Further: A cookbook of favorite recipes from Boone Tavern Hotel, Berea College, Kentucky. New York: Abingdon Press. 1955. Southern Spoon Bread 1955 Ingredients 3 c...

We remember Vicky Schankula, 1947–2016

Vicky Schankula, at right, in purple One of life's most gracious and delightful people, Victoria Fairbanks Schankula, found Cornbread Suppers early on, and took joy in the weekly gatherings. She came to Cornbread Supper faithfully, bringing beautiful food, laughter, a camera for her "picture of the day," a lovely British accent, a commitment to helping clean up, and a constant interest in each other person in the room. When Vicky entered the house on Monday nights carrying a particular large round plate, children (and a few adults) trailed her to the dessert table to see what she had brought. The favorites: lemon bars, brownies and her mother's most unusual, delicious carrot cake. Vicky graciously shared and allowed us to publish recipes for Lemon Bars and Isabel Fairbairns's (Gangy's) Carrot Cake on this site. Gangy's Carrot Cake on Vicky Schankula's special dessert plate When illness prevented Vicky from returning to Cornbread Supper...

Cornbread Supper now is resting

For all the Cornbreadians and would-be Cornbreadians -- it was a good run. A bit more than nine years. You came on Mondays. Conviviality ensued. You made community. Gratitude to all. It was a gift to us.

Cornbread Supper

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