1 1/2 cups fine-ground white cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder(homemade baking powder, sift 1/4 cup cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons baking soda) 1 3/4 cups buttermilk or 1 3/4 cups milk curdled by adding 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Mix together the cornmeal, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Stir the buttermilk into the beaten eggs, and pour over the dry ingredients in batches, stirring vigorously to make a smooth, glossy batter. 4. Cut the butter into pieces and put it in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or baking pan. Put the skillet in the preheated oven and heat until the butter is melted and foaming. Remove from the oven and swirl the butter in the skillet to coat the bottoms and sides thoroughly. 5. Pour the extra melted butter from the pan into the cornbread batter and stit well until the butter is absorbed into the batter. 6. Turn the batter into the heated skillet and put it in the oven to bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cornbread is golden brown and crusty on top and pulls away from the sides of the skillet. 7. Remove the skillet from the oven and turn the cornbread out onto a plate. Allow to cool for five minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve the cornbread hot.
