Plain cornbread
1&1/2 cups cornmeal and 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 chicken eggs or 1 large duck egg
1&1/4 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (preheat a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet or lidless dutch oven inside)
Put the bacon drippings in the preheated skillet, swirl to coat bottom & sides
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl
In a separate bowl, beat the egg(s), then mix in the buttermilk
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix*
Add the melted butter, mix*
Immediately pour batter into skillet
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are turning brown - it's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Remove from the oven and let rest for 30 minutes in the skillet before serving
*Tip: don't beat the dickens out if the batter, don't let it "rise" before pouring it into the skillet - mix, pour, bake should be a smooth, uninterrupted process
Master this, then you can try variations - sweet onions, various cheeses, hot peppers, pimentos, cracklins...