Who put sugar in the cornbread? That's a phrase which during my childhood which would generally conjure up something kind of scandalous in both my grandmothers' kitchens.

So do you put sugar in your cornbread? Some good Southern cooks do.

Not to be too objective, I'm just going to say I like my cornbread both ways. It all depends on what I'm serving with it. If it is tomatoes, certainly no sugar in the mix.

Some old school cooks tell me they also still use recipes featuring rendered bacon drippings. Others have opted for a more "corn light" bread of sorts over the years.

Most southern cooks know a good cornbread needs buttermilk and an egg for that special lift. Others believe good old sweet or whole milk works just fine.

Whichever way you prefer-skillet recipe or loaf pan variation-here are a few cornmeal based recipes certain to satisfy palates from all regions. There's likely one thing all good Southerners agree on when it comes to cornbread-plenty of butter!

Oh, I do miss the days of homemade butter. Anyone still make it at home? Contact me at dhankins@t-g.com.

**Sour Cream Cornbread

1 C. sour cream

2 beaten eggs

1 stick melted margarine

1 C. creamed corn

1 C. self-rising cornmeal

Melt margarine in an 8-inch square baking dish. Add remaining margarine to other ingredients (after it has been swished around enough to coat the dish.) Stir. Pour back into baking dish ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

**Winter Bread

2 pkg. active dry yeast

3 ? to 4 C. all-purpose flour

? C. dry onion soup mix

8 slices bacon

1 (12 oz.) can beer

? C. milk

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornmeal

In mixer bowl, combine yeast, 1 ? cups of flour and onion soup mix. Cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside. Heat together beer, milk, sugar and reserved drippings until warm (mixture will appear curdled.) Add to dry ingredients in mixer bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed with mixer (about ? minute.) Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in crumbled bacon and enough of remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover, let rise until almost double, 40 to 45 minutes. Punch down. Shape into rolls. Place in round baking pans (pizza pans good.) Brush tops of rolls with a little melted butter; sprinkle with cornmeal. Cover lightly; let rise until almost double, about 25 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

**Southern Corn Light Bread

3 C. self-rising cornmeal

? C. flour

? C. oil

1 C. sugar

3 C. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Let oil preheat in pan. Mix together all ingredients, including oil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Let sweat in pan with towel covering. Any type of pan can be used (tube, Bundt, loaf.)

Recommended add-ins:

1 small can cream style corn

2 Tbsp. chopped, green chilies

1 C. grated cheese