Imperial Valley press., 1917-05-11
By Margaret Wilde

Recently we gllmpSed pafd1raph
in some paper that we might become
a nation of corn pone eaters-account
of the war. Everything now has an
excuse-the war. Not that we feel
this war is going to be small al
lair, by any means. Nothing of the
kind. But, after many gloomy days,
we try and take the sunny side, and
wave the dear ones a smile as they
go, trusting in our Edisor for the
great invention-and to our G,l
Then we turn and wonder if it will
come to corn pone, and, if SO, we must
smile over that, too, and remember
that history tells us of Lincoln, who
loved to sit, book in hand, feaG hoist
ed high over his head, with piece
of corn bread in one hand, that he
had snatched as he passed on his way
for the book. This was in his ycun-
ger days, when he studied so hard, but
studied because he loved co study, and
because he had a stepmother who en-.
outraged, instead of hindered, him in
Ifis efforts. At last this same STEP
mother is coming into her praise, be-
cause of the part she played in the
Iupbringing our our great president
Perhaps he learned to love the corn
lpone back in Kentucky, where they
know just how to make it. Anyway
he grew into a tall, stalwart fellow
able to split 300 rails a day. and he
ate corn pone. So, as we eat it more
and more frequently as the days GO
lby, we smile, for we, too, work hard
love it, love the recreation hours,
book or magazine in hand, corn bread
to MUNICH on, and know that our old
time good health is coming back again
And if our men have to &C to war
we can work on and eat corn bread
There are many recipes for the
making of corn bread. A person who
has never made it would be apt to
fail with the very best one, because
lit requires experience and practile
times without number to make it "just
fright"
The best ever is made back in the
South, where they still have a few
old fashioned iron ovens remaining
These large ovens are heated, creased
the lid be lifted up to see if it is
a real old timey fireplace, Goals are
drawn out on the hearthstone, the
oven placed over them, then a mixture
of cornmeal, salt, soda and butter
milk is put into the oven, the lid put
on, Goals placed on the lid, and slowly
the process begins. If, at any time
the lid be lifted up to ese if It is
cooking just as it should do, the most
odor escapes and makes
your mouth water, and you are "a
hungry you could die almost. The
good old-fashioned cooks scorn the
baking powder can. 1t is soda and
butt termilk properly combined that
make the gest bread. The loaf is v.ry
thick, like some big pound cake. But
tel a hunk, not slice, for the knife
never improves it, and you have a
meal fit for king. Or crumble it
when warm, or cold, into bowl of
sweet milk. Then you have meal
fit for an American.
When l was girl they told me that
my mother was famous for her good
bread-an art in itself. So I wanted
t, make good bread. Once fooled
good old Aunt Dinah. She was giving
"a party to some of the colored peo-
rle, and asked me to bake her pound
cake. When she came after the cake
] opened the cupboard door, pointed
to large cake, all brown and tempt
ing looking, and asked: "Well, Aunty,
how do you like it," She grinned
and said ::'Dat sho' do look good,
chile'." I smiled. "But that is corn
bread" I said. "Here is your cake,
Aunty," and I opened the other door,
and she saw her pound cake, all white
with it's frosting. ! guess it must
have been after I married that l de-
|cided I could feel really satisfied that
II, like the little mother, could bake
good bread. 1t was one evening at
|supper-always it was Supper" and
always it will be with us[ had
whipped cream and cake for dessert
and was enjoying mine, when / no.
ticed that my husband had pushed his
saucer back to finish on a bowl of
milk and corn bread. inquired about
lii, only to learn that he wanted to
"leave good taste in his mouth"
It was a long time after I came
west before I could bake good bread
again. Finally won the old knack
back again. One day in town man
who had everything on earth to eat
a person could possibly want, it seemed
to me, was not feeling we'll. A South
erner-he came from old Kentucky