Cornbread Supper

We will make and share two New York Times recipes at this week's Cornbread Supper: The very recent (April 1) Sam Sifton's recipe, " The Cornbread Matters Most ," and the 1989 Nancy Harmon Jenkins recipe, " The Best Cornbread ," from South Carolina's Low Country. Betting on both to win!

An unusual but fine night. No pictures, and no little food description slips, either. A lively conversation about a new empowerment camp for girls occupied the gazebo section of the front porch. Other matters, frivolous and weighty both, entertained people around the porch swing and in several groups inside the house. Salads and sweet-milk cornbread filled the table. People asked for this recipe: Yam and Apple Salad . Made with Elmwood sweet potatoes and Reed Valley Orchard Gold Rush apples, and modified according to the "use what we have" rule, it surprised me with its unusual flavors. Main adjustments I made: added an onion while sweet potatoes roasted; had no grapes; made up a kind of curry using a collection of spices added to the roasting sweet potatoes/onions instead of using curry paste. Spices used: coriander, cumin, cardamom, cloves, ginger.

Warm, damp night. Warm, dry wits and happy spirits indoors. Plenty of kids, including a not-quite-six-month-old who loves to party. Goodness at Cornbread Supper. Eggplant Russe Winter Greens & Roots Gratin (All Elmwood) Vegetable Curry | Vegan Salad with pears and balsamic-blood orange dressing Salad with Reed Valley frozen summer fruits Pasta with Pesto Vegetarian Cornmeal Toasts w/Parmigiana Regg | No gluten Vegetable Corn Strata (Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Onion) | No Gluten | NOT vegetarian | Some bites may be spicy Carrot Cake Sorghum Molasses Crinkles Blueberry Pie Doughnuts

We had snow—the only one this winter, as well as a much-needed snow day for kids and teachers. The snow fell on daffodil blossoms and prematurely flowering spring shrubs. The small gathering for Supper included some first timers and featured an abundance of foods. For example: Risotto with Kale & Butternut Squash *Contains Chicken Broth Rice Carrots, & Onions (A Bit Sweet) Thai Butternut Squash-Peanut Soup Roasted Local Veggies: Butternut Squash, Black Radish, Onion, Tomato | Plus exotic sage, Oliva Bella oil, salt & pepper Wild Rice Salad w/mushrooms & red onion Two big salads Vegetarian Cornbread: Onions, cheese, corn; gluten free "Bacon Plus" Cornbread: Corn, Onions, Cheese; gluten free Pumpkin Bread Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds

Warm, clear night. Plenty of children. Plenty of plenty, including old friends visiting after long absences. Tomato Dill Soup (Jennifer's Famous!) Olive/Cheese Spread Butternut Squash Soup with Kale, Tomatoes, Pasta, Rosemary, Onions, Olive Oil Bean & Beef Soup Stovetop Cheese Grits: Gluten Free, Slight Spice Cornmeal Angel Biscuits: Contain Gluten Pork Taco Casserole Roast Potato with Rosemary Sweet Potato Chili Mac with Chorizo: SPICY Lim Chili Sorghum Glazed Roast Winter Squash Pies: Chocolate, Peanut Butter Popsicles

Beautiful food, beautiful people, beautiful conversation. A bounty of desserts! Eggplant stew (veget) Paige's Macaronis & Cheese Black Bean & Sweet Potato Soup (with garlic & onion) Whole Wheat Ravioli with Squash, Mushroom, Dried Tomatoes, & Sage Butter with Sheep Cheese | Lexington Pasta, Good Shepherd Cheese Vegetarian Corny muffins (Italian Sweet Peppers, Onions) Gluten Free Bacon-Corn-Sweet Pepper-Onion Cornbread (some with heat, some with no heat) Chicken Noodle Soup Peanut Noodles Sorghum Swirl Ice Cream Sorghum Peanut Brittle Sorghum Suckers Joe's Famous Brownies (Loaded) Black Magic Brownies (Gluten Free) Brownies