I acknowledge with frustration, the problems our country and the world are currently facing. This article is not intended to diminish these situations. But I can't take it any more. I believe we may have a crisis in Gainesville called losing of the art of making cornbread.

I eat out a good bit on weekends and have found that there are only a few restaurants in the city that serve unsweetened cornbread. Now I don't believe that God meant for cornbread to be sweet. Sweet means muffins, (not cornbread muffins, which I also love, minus sugar) cake and other pastries.

The other day I ordered cornbread with my lunch; I should have known better, but this was a new place for me. The waitress brought my lunch and on the plate was an anemic looking piece of so-called cornbread. It didn't have that golden crust, and I could just see the sugar coming before I took a bite. Yuck. It would have taken my appetite if anymore had been eaten.

The thought came to me that too many Yankees have moved into town or else too many young cooks are watching Food Network. Now don't get me wrong, some Yankees are good people, but are good for other things besides making Southern-style cornbread.

All that is needed to make good cornbread, in my opinion, is a hot 10-inch cast iron skillet (greased), two eggs, 18 ounces (3 teacups) of self-rising cornmeal, vegetable oil and buttermilk. No sugar please; read my lips. Cook in a 450-degree oven (not 451) for 20 (not 21) minutes.

You know I had a notion to take this matter up with city council. We've got a local law making it illegal to eat chicken with anything other than your fingers. Maybe I could convince the council to also make it illegal to put sugar into cornbread?

I apologize to all those sweetened cornbread lovers and will continue to pray for their forgiveness.

Harold Hogsed
Gainesville