My perspective, when it comes to Corn bread, is that it is divided into three styles. Southern corn bread, SW corn Bread, and Appalachian Corn bread.
My brother spent some years in the south. And My sister in the Rural NE. Their opinions, with the support of others, has led me to the opinion that there are three schools of cornbread.
The Southern Corn bread is quick bread. Only corn is involved, no flour, it has baking powder and baking soda, usually buttermilk, and bacon grease or butter. Often the recipe on the back of the cornmeal package.
Northern Corn bread is a bread in the way the Zukini bread is a bread. More cake like. Baked in a cake round, with Flour in addition to cornmeal, sugar and usually no baking soda, but more eggs, and using oil instead of butter.
And the South West style is their rebel child. Flour and Corn meal, less sugar then Northern, buttermilk, and butter. Crumbly, moist, and often employing an addition, like Chile peppers, creamed corn, or cheese.
Some people are oblivious to the distinction.
Some People on the east coast think there is only the first two, and will stare, appalled, at the idea of putting something IN the corm bread.
So hence the arrival of the third group.
Up her in the NW we know the choice of corn bread has a lot to do with the rest of the meal. Like choosing the right wine for fish as apposed to beef. It have to complement the meal, not detract. Personally I don't drink, but I understand the concept.
If you are eating a NY firehouse Chili, then you want a norther corn bread.
If you are eating a pinto bean Chili, go with a southern cornbread.
If you are eating a Habanero Killer Chili, you NEED the SW corn bread with sour cream.
If I was ambitious I might make a pan of each. But I have a toddler, and am pore at time management. So I'm not going to do that.
