Cornbread

     I've been making cornbread for years.  Frequently it is a recipe from the back of  bag of cornmeal with the addition of cream corn, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos.  When I saw a recipe for cornbread in The Bread Baker's Apprentice, I thought "Why/"  Well today I found out why.  The recipe started with a sponge made from cornmeal and buttermilk.  Brown sugar, sugar and honey were also added, as well as 16 ounces of corn kernels.  The one thing I did that the recipe did not say to do was grilled the corn in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil.  The bacon on the top was a nice finishing touch.  The cornbread was a thick, slightly sweet, extremely moist bread.  Wayne said it was as good as cake.
     When I grew up in New Orleans East (then called Little Woods) it was a rural area.  I lived on Hayne Boulevard which is directly across the street from Lake Pontchartrain.  Houses were built in little clumps.  Poppy lived in one of the six houses in our little area. In reality Poppy was Steve and David's grandfather, but he was everyone's grandfather.  He always had a stick of gum, a hug, and a warm smile for everyone.  Poppy was a true Christian.  He went to church on a regular basis and taught Sunday school.  He would help everyone in need.  He was not just a Sunday Christian; he did not just talk the talk; Poppy walked the walk. Poppy always had a vegetable garden.  I remember playing hide-and-seek in his corn.  During the summer you would never need to buy fresh veggies, Poppy always supplied them.  I can still taste the wonderful Creole tomatoes and Sugar-baby watermelons.   His sweet corn would have been a wonderful addition to this recipe, not just because it was home-grown, but because it was home-grown by a man with love in his heart for all.