Dang. For the second time, Sue's cornbread came out of the oven looking just fine; golden brown on the top and smelling sweet and just right. But for the second time, once I cut into the round of cornbread, its center parts oozed out across the pan. This is not right.
We conclude it may be the oven rather than the recipe. We scheduled lunch together downtown on Friday afternoon with the plan to swing by Staten's Appliances on Main Street for a consultation. Mr. Staten has been in business there following in his father's appliance business before him since 1969. I like the old low-ceiling cluttered shop stacked with used washers, driers and ovens; all made the old-fashioned way and built to last. I have received DIY repair tips, replacement parts and a used washing machine from Mr. Staten previously. Never disappointed.
Harold listen to our complaints about the results of Sue's cornbread and sympathized with out plight. He suggested several tests to diagnose whether we were looking at a new thermostat (in which case it is time for new stove), a bad lower oven element or a bad connection. After testing, it looked like we were dealing with a bad connection. I unbolted the lower heating element and and found that one of the plate-connections at the end of the wire had shorted and burned off. I put the corrupted pieces in a plastic bag and told Sue to go see Mr. Staten and get some replacement parts like these.
She made the trip downtown the next afternoon and showed Mr. Staten what I had found; he nodded knowingly and had his son fetch a new wire and threw in a screw and a twist-cap electrical connection. While he handed Sue a bag of fix-it pieces, he extracted a promise from her to let him know how it turned out. How much for advice and a few notions? "Free. 'Cause I didn't do anything".
Soon after I connected the new wire to the old heating element, Sue tested the baking effectiveness of Mr. Staten's advice and my handiwork with a batch of cornbread muffins. The muffins turned out real fine. And of course the first half-dozen were delivered (still warm) to Mr. Staten, making good on the promise. When she walked through the door, Mr. Staten inquired with a smile, "How'd it all worked out?" "Taste and see!" She said as she produced a foil-wrapped serving of cornbread muffins. He smile generously and said he'd have 'em for lunch with a big glass of milk.
As we like to say around these parts, "The proof is in the cornbread".
Feeling like testing your own oven?
Here's my recommendation:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees (F)
Combine in large bowl:
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
2/3 Cup White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
Sir into above mix:
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
Mix well and Pour into 9" Round Cake Pan
Bake for 20-25 Minutes at 400 Deg (or until inserted toothpick comes out clean)
If your cornbread does not turn out mushy - your oven is working just fine. Consider it "Mr. Staten's Proper Appliance Test".
We conclude it may be the oven rather than the recipe. We scheduled lunch together downtown on Friday afternoon with the plan to swing by Staten's Appliances on Main Street for a consultation. Mr. Staten has been in business there following in his father's appliance business before him since 1969. I like the old low-ceiling cluttered shop stacked with used washers, driers and ovens; all made the old-fashioned way and built to last. I have received DIY repair tips, replacement parts and a used washing machine from Mr. Staten previously. Never disappointed.
Harold listen to our complaints about the results of Sue's cornbread and sympathized with out plight. He suggested several tests to diagnose whether we were looking at a new thermostat (in which case it is time for new stove), a bad lower oven element or a bad connection. After testing, it looked like we were dealing with a bad connection. I unbolted the lower heating element and and found that one of the plate-connections at the end of the wire had shorted and burned off. I put the corrupted pieces in a plastic bag and told Sue to go see Mr. Staten and get some replacement parts like these.
She made the trip downtown the next afternoon and showed Mr. Staten what I had found; he nodded knowingly and had his son fetch a new wire and threw in a screw and a twist-cap electrical connection. While he handed Sue a bag of fix-it pieces, he extracted a promise from her to let him know how it turned out. How much for advice and a few notions? "Free. 'Cause I didn't do anything".
Soon after I connected the new wire to the old heating element, Sue tested the baking effectiveness of Mr. Staten's advice and my handiwork with a batch of cornbread muffins. The muffins turned out real fine. And of course the first half-dozen were delivered (still warm) to Mr. Staten, making good on the promise. When she walked through the door, Mr. Staten inquired with a smile, "How'd it all worked out?" "Taste and see!" She said as she produced a foil-wrapped serving of cornbread muffins. He smile generously and said he'd have 'em for lunch with a big glass of milk.
As we like to say around these parts, "The proof is in the cornbread".
Feeling like testing your own oven?
Here's my recommendation:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees (F)
Combine in large bowl:
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
2/3 Cup White Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
Sir into above mix:
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
Mix well and Pour into 9" Round Cake Pan
Bake for 20-25 Minutes at 400 Deg (or until inserted toothpick comes out clean)
If your cornbread does not turn out mushy - your oven is working just fine. Consider it "Mr. Staten's Proper Appliance Test".
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