The sweet vs. savory battle is one that rages in countless culinary arenas. There are some dishes that are made savory in some regions while they are definitely considered a sweet treat in others. Corn bread is one of those oft fought over foods that can be a completely different experience based on where you’re eating it.

I grew up with cornbread as a savory item, usually paired with chili, soup, or fried chicken, or stuffed with ground beef, veggies, and cheese. It wasn’t until I moved to Maine for college that I had sweet corn bread that, to me, tasted like cake. I’m not complaining (it’s delicious sweet!), but it was unexpected. This was my first experience having my culinary preconceptions challenged; ‘corn bread’ meant something different in New England. Also, they consider Moxie (a soda who’s slogan is “Makes Mainers Mighty”) delicious, and to me it has always tasted like industrial solvent.

Point being, there are so many different regions in this country that food and tastes can be completely different as well. The following recipe straddles the fence between sweet and savory and is also gluten free, a pairing of both Maryland and Maine, with a nod at being paleo-ish as well.

Maple Corn Bread
(a modified version of Anna Thomas’s Corn Bread recipe from The Vegetarian Epicure)

1 ¼ c. gluten free flour blend (Bob’s Red Mill)
¾ c. stone ground yellow corn meal
3 T. maple syrup
5 t. baking powder
¾ t. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk/almond milk
¼ c. water
2 T. butter, melted
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch skillet (cast iron is awesome for this).
Sift together dries, stir in wets, make sure everything is well mixed.
Spread batter in skillet and bake approximately 20 minutes, until starting to set. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake another 5-10 minutes until starting to brown at edges and cheese is bubbly.
Eat immediately, with butter!

I like to eat this with Michelle Tam’s Cardamom Carrot Soup from her awesome book Nom Nom Paleo. This recipe is perfect for this time of year, spiced with ginger and cardamom, with a solid base of leeks, carrots, and apples. A few things to keep in mind:

Leeks have lots of layers! As such, they trap a ton of dirt. When you are directed to clean them, take some time with the task. It’s really disappointing and rather gross to end up with a gritty final product (and it’s also completely avoidable).
Don’t be put off by buying fresh ginger. Peel the whole thing and freeze what you don’t use. Next time you need some, grate it with a Microplane or box grater and re-freeze. No waste at all!

161022 - Cooking with Louisa | CF Kids