Thursday, March 14, 2013

Buttermilk Blueberry Cornbread

My love of buttermilk began three years ago this month with buttermilk pancakes. At that time I knew of only Butterworks Farm Buttermilk from Vermont


but since then my local co-op also sells Kate's Buttermilk from Maine.


They are both excellent. And they aren't filled with unpronounceable chemicals. One is smaller and organic, the other larger and though not organic is still from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.

I always have buttermilk in the house now. If you type 'buttermilk' into the search bar you'll see all the recipes I've posted so far.

Today's offering is a terrific little quick bread.

Buttermilk Blueberry Cornbread




1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup buttermilk (in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup)
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
Lightly grease with cooking spray (original recipe called for butter) an 8-inch square baking pan.
Place the cornmeal in a medium-sized bowl, then sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
Stir until thoroughly combined, and make a well in the center.
Add the egg, sugar, and melted butter to the buttermilk in the measuring cup, and whisk gently until uniform. 
Pour this mixture into the well in the center of the dry ingredients, and mix with a wooden spoon until all the dry ingredients are moist and incorporated. (Don't overmix.)
Place the blueberries on top of the batter, and gently fold them in with a rubber spatula, scraping up batter from the bottom of the bowl, and lifting it on top of the berries.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted all the way into the center comes out clean (I found it took about half an hour).
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with butter.

Delicious! We're having it with a light vegetable soup

40 comments:

  1. My goodness, this looks delicious! Can't wait to try it.

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    1. It was great! If you do make it, I'd like to know how yours turned out.

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  2. Just picked up some Kate's buttermilk today when shopping. Planning to make Irish brown bread on Sunday, and recipe (which was in Boston Globe yesterday) calls for 3 cups of buttermilk. Would have bought Kate's butter, too, but Kerry Irish Gold seemed more fitting. Will bookmark your cornbread recipe because what's not to like about cornbread laced with blueberries! :)

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    1. I wonder if it is sold only in New England or if it is around the country. Irish butter - perfect!!

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  3. I can only find local buttermilk at specialty stores but there is a difference. And oh, the tanginess of buttermilk blueberry muffins! I can just about taste yours from looking at the picture.

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  4. Oh, this recipe sounds wonderful! You are so right, buttermilk makes a WORLD of difference in your baking and is so worth buying. Your buttermilk from Maine looks great. (Kate's, I love that packaging, I am such a sucker for good marketing!)
    And the thought of your vegetable soup is making my mouth water!

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    1. The Kate's butter is cute packaging too, with a little girl on it. You can see the pic here:
      http://www.kateshomemadebutter.com/index.html

      We have the soup quite often. It is delicious and more filling than you might expect.

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  5. Oh Nan, I'm drooling! That pic is so gorgeous! I've pinned this recipe and will make it this weekend. I'm so glad your back:)

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    1. I'm on Pinterest!! :<) Hope it turns out well for you.

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  6. I'm going to try your buttermilk pancakes sometime!!

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  7. Oh, oh, oh ... this looks so good! I'm going to make the recipe soon! Deirdre P.S. Have to go look up or find the piece of paper with my google password, so, I'm "anonymous" today but you know it's the same Deirdre!!

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    1. Yes, it's me!! (Must keep my google password nearby in future!) I'm glad you are well and sharing your recipes and thoughts again! Deirdre

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    2. Thanks. There are a couple other recipes on deck.

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  8. My mom used to like buttermilk a lot, too. This cornbread looks wonderful and sounds delicious with vegetable soup. I still have my original very well used Moosewood Cookbook from my college days. I haven't used it for a while but I think I will pull it out this weekend. Thanks for the recipe and the reminder.

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    1. I gave up my old Moosewood Cookbook, but cut out the pages of the recipes I made. Honestly as much as I loved it, and the idea of it, the recipes were not easy to follow. I don't know if this recipe was in there or not. I did a search for cornmeal, buttermilk, blueberries and Mollie's page came up with this recipe.

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  9. I've missed your recipes! I'm tempted by this but I'm supposed to be eating sensibly, and I have no restraint with things like this. Could it be made is small tins, like muffins, and then frozen,so you could pull out one at a time to eat?

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  10. I'm sure you could make muffins. But blueberries are very sensible!

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  11. I love quick breads and this one looks yummy. I have my original Moosewood Cookbook standing next to my original Laurel's Kitchen--that dates me right there. Not sure I have any local options on buttermilk, though.

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    1. Oh, I do love Laurel's Kitchen. I loved the philosophy of it, and wanted to live in that way.

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  12. Buttermilk means soda bread to me, it is hard to get round here though.
    Ilove your header pic.

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    1. That so surprises me. I would think there would be local dairies that would make it. I love soda bread, and have posted a couple recipes here. I need to make some, and soon!

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  13. Buttermilk! Blueberry!! Cornbread!!!

    How could these not be heavenly? I can't wait to try them!

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  14. We always have buttermilk in the house, too. I use it for Rod's Buttermilk Pancakes, Oatmeal Pancakes and a Trisha Yearwood salad dressing. This recipe sounds like one I'll have to add to my collection. I love, love, love blueberries!

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    1. We are still eating the blueberries bought from our neighbor who grows them. We have them most mornings in yogurt. Yum.

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  15. and you're back! I have to backtrack now and read all I have missed. Welcome back, Nan. It was hardly the party without you :)

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  16. Oh, yum! I have buttermilk in the fridge as I use it for my Irish soda bread. May have just enough to try these.

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    1. And I need to make some soda bread. It's been too long.

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  17. Oh yes, I miss buttermilk, and to have two different "real" buttermilks nearby, heaven. My mama used to crumble up her cornbread into a glass of buttermilk and eat it as a treat. Thanks for the memory.~~Dee

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    1. Is there none for sale in the stores? I've heard of people doing that. My own mother used to put warm milk over toast - it was called 'milk toast.' Makes me cringe. :<)

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  18. The recipe looks interesting but what caught my eye was the celebratory notice for Barbara Pym. Are you a fan of hers? I've just read her book 'Some Tame Gazelle' - her first I believe. I enjoyed it very much. I read it because I am such a fan of Miss Read and Miss Read was herself a fan of Barbara Pym. Since I worked for the Church for 5 years I can identify with the lives of the clergy somewhat and found Barbara's take on it very interesting. I intend to read more of her work. I am currently reading 'Glittering Images' by Susan Howatch. It is the first book in the Starbridge series. Are you familiar with those? If not, may I suggest you give the series a try.

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    1. I am a fan, and I love the picture honoring her 100th year. I hope to read all her books this year. I've read maybe three, and so loved them. I wrote about two before I 'knew' you so if you'd like to read the posts, they are here:
      http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2010/02/unsuitable-attachment-by-barbara-pym.html
      http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2007/10/book-reportjane-and-prudence.html

      I didn't know that Miss Read was a fan. I love hearing things like this.
      I will look into the SH book. I haven't read her. Thanks so much.

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  19. That sounds soooo good and not too much sugar which is great for us. I came by because I knew I'd missed a post or two. And was transfixed by the view out your window, through the beautiful vase of tulips! What a wonderful header shot. Gosh I missed you while you were gone!

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    1. What a nice thing to say! Thank you.
      And thanks about the picture too.

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  20. Hey Nan! You know I checked back here from time to time this winter, wondering if you had decided to step back into your blog. Nope. You were on my mind again today (the book is in the mail - should be there Monday) so I swung back around just to see one more time. Lo and Behold! So, welcome back. I have read through your March posts and am leaving a comment on this one because I thought you might be interested to know that Jack Lazor and family of Butterworks Farm in Westfield have been renting our farmland for years and their Brown Swiss cows eat organic corn grown on our place. So, if you've been using the cream ... another little connection. Martha Stewart featured it on her show some years ago. It's the good stuff. Welcome back! Joyeux Paques!

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    1. Isn't that just wonderful!! Thank you for telling me. I love it. And thanks for the welcome!

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