Cornbread

So compelling that cornbread, a food with perhaps one of the most unappealing textures ever — sandy, crunchy, pebbles of corn that stick in the teeth and rough themselves over the tongue — is somehow so good. I was craving something earthy and a little sweet tonight, and cornbread just seemed the perfect fit — slathered in butter and drizzled with honey.

Unappealing texture aside (as I write the little pebbles are indeed stuck to my teeth) when you can strike a balance between the dryness of cornmeal and the moistness of a muffin, a slice of cornbread is the most satisfying little treat you can whip up.

I especially love that corn lends itself to a much mellower sweetness than a sugary muffin, almost nutty and earthy without being overwhelming. Each bite compels a further one, and soon the experience crescendos with a small avalanche of crumbs cascading down your front and sticky mouth corners from the honey, and you forget that the texture ever caused you doubt in the first place.