BLACKBERRY CORNBREAD

The past two summers we have been blessed with more rain then we have had in several summers. Our wild blackberries have done well. I have been able to pick enough to make jam and put some in the freezer. I usually don't start pullin' them out and bakin' with the berries until January when I am longin' for spring. The good flavor of blackberries seems to help. But I've been cravin' blackberries for a few days and the jam doesn't seem to be fillin' the void.

I just love blackberries and if you have never had the experience of pickin' them well let me clue you in.

First it has to be the hottest day of the year, everyday you pick them, that day is the hottest day of the year, hotter than hades let me tell ya.

There has to be a minimum of at least 200 million June Bugs. I know it's July when blackberries are ready but they are June Bugs. These 200 million bugs are on each blackberry bush and they dive bomb you. If you don't know what a June Bug is here's a picture and this is about the size of a small one.

They are hard shelled and if one hits you, you'll know it. If you get hit by one on a motorcycle they can about take you off the bike. They are mean bugs and their sole purpose is to eat your blackberries and keep you away. Not really, they aren't mean. As kids we would catch them and tie a string around one of their legs and let them try to fly away but they couldn't and you'd spend part of the day playing with them before turning them loose. But they do eat your blackberries and they do dive bomb you.

And then there's the chiggers. Now chiggers are about the only thing that makes me think, do I really want to go out in all those chiggers. It doesn't matter how much bug spray you put on you still get some chiggers.

And then there are snakes to contend with and stickers. Ohhhh do those berry bushes have some mean thorns. You see, a blackberry bush is a briar and you always come back with battle scars. Did I mention it's always hot? I mean HOT.

You gotta love those blackberries.

Well I'll get on with the recipe. This cornbread is a little sweeter than regular cornbread and the berries add sweetness but if you want it sweeter you may need to add more sugar, but then you'd have cake. So you decide but the first time try it like the recipes says and I think you'll like it.

The ingredients you'll need are:

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 cup milled flax seed - Be sure and use the flax seed. You can find it in the baking isle in the

grocery store. Here's the brand I use, but any brand is okay as long as the flax seed is milled.

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons canola oil

Brown your butter and then add the oil to the butter.

2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan.

Sift dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and the browned butter and oil.
Pour liquid ingredients into flour mixture, and stir well.
Add berries and mix gently.
Pour batter into baking pan.

Bake until top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve warm with whip cream on top. This is good eatin'.

Let me know how you like my blackberry cornbread.
Rebel