Corn bread

Question

I am writing a piece that includes descriptions of the baking (and eating) of bread made from corn, but I have read some conflicting dictionary entries as to what the British call that type of bread:

1- in the UK do you call it corn or maize?

2 - cornbread in one entry seems to be some sort of sweet cake.

Couls somebody throw some light on this, please?

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

-------
Main Entry: corn bread
Function: noun

: bread made with cornmeal: as a : cornmeal mixed with shortening and water and baked or fried b : cornmeal mixed with wheat flour, eggs, milk, and leavening and baked

----------

Nona the brit · Answer

We call corn maize - unless it is whole heads of corn which are called 'corn on the cob'. We do have cornflour but mainly use it for thickening sauces and gravies and perhaps in a few recipes for cakes/biscuits mixed with normal flour.

We don't make American-style 'cornbread'.

Philip · Answer

Nona The BritWe don't make American-style 'cornbread'.

It's great with chile con carne.....or with hamhocks and white lima beans.....or simply warm, with butter and honey. [And I'm not even from the south.]

Qim · Answer

So what shall I call bread made in the normal way, but using maize instead of wheat?

I am writing about bread as baked in many west European countries.

Thanks

Nona the brit · Answer

Well we don't eat bread like that in the UK. I don't know for sure about other west European countries but it not anything I've ever come across while I was there. We just don't use maize flour in most of Europe, apart from the limited uses I mentioned. I've gone my whole life without buying corn/maize flour.

The nearest thing I can think of is polenta, which is a northern Italian corn meal dish. It's not really like bread though. It's a sort of mushy stuff that sets and can be used in cooking other dishes.I can't think of any others.

I'd advise forgetting about the cornbread. It's simply not a European dish. Have you looked at other European breads though? You can't really generalise too much, different countries have different breads and you also get regional specialities within countries. I suppose it depends how many countries you are looking at and how much detail you need to go into.

Qim · Answer

"Well we don't eat bread like that in the UK. I don't know for sure about other west European countries but it not anything I've ever come across while I was there."

You don't know what you're missing. Try it if you ever find yourself in Portugal. Although, now it is hard to find the real thing, hot and straight out of a wood fired oven. Any supermarket has it though.

Unfortunately, it is about this type of bread I am writing about. I'll just have to call it corn bread.

Thanks for your help

Nona the brit · Answer

I do want to try it now. IT sounds great.

Corn bread

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions