Teresa, I know you shared my disappointment about the demise of 3 Rivers cornmeal. My question...have you found a decent substitution. I bought White Lily cornmeal and I'm really disappointed in it. Doesn't even rise. DH bought a small bag of Martha White yesterday but I haven't tried it yet. Sorry to bother about something that probably seems insignificant to most but not to me.
I recently bought some Tenda-Bake cornmeal mix and I'm liking it pretty well. It's made by Midstate Mills in Newton, NC that has been in business since the early 1900s. They also make a self-rising flour and a very good biscuit mix, Southern Biscuit Mix, that I have already tried. I found these items at the (dreaded) Wal-mart so you might want to look there first.
Last night I made Sour Cream Cornmeal biscuits using the Biscuit Mix and the Tenda-Bake cornmeal mix - very good!
I'm trying these products because I want to streamline my baking for the Farmers' Market. I'm making corn muffins and quick breads using the self-rising products and so far, so good.
Next time I am in Greensboro, I want to go out to Oak Ridge and get some of the s-r cornmeal from the Old Mill of Guilford and see how I like that. Now that I've got grits on the brain, I'll have to get some of their stoneground grits too. ;o)
Thanks Teresa, I'll give the Tenda-Bake a try. Like you, I'm not enamored by Walmart either but that's the way it goes.
Supposedly, Food City, a local Ky-Va-Tn company carries a self-rising meal from White's Mill in Abingdon VA. I may check to see if our particular store carries it. I have bought their stone ground products before when I visited the mill but not the SR cornmeal.
The biscuit mix is called Formula L, and "restaurant-style. It's pretty darn good, don't even think Bisquick-like.
Where are you, jude? There is a locator page on the Midstate web site, funny but they don't mention the (dreaded) Wal-mart in any state. FWIW, I had not shopped at my local (dreaded) Wal-mart in many months and found they had remodeled the store. Now it is much nicer, wider aisles, cleaner, better organized. Also, much cheaper than even my local Food Lion. Now if I can just avoid the whole families shopping times and the screaming children then I will be more likely to shop there - only now and then.
I'm in Knoxville TN. Re: Whole families and screaming kids. I find it depends on which Walmart you're shopping. I think there are 4 in our immediate area and I have only been in 2 of them. Believe me they are light years apart in their clientele.
Our local Food Lines all closed except in outlying areas and the Food City I mentioned bought out Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo. We do still have Kroger and Ingles. I would love to have Publix or Harris-Teeter although I think they're more expensive. I have seen some Lowe's in western NC and they seem pretty nice. I have a tendency to judge them by their range of baked goods in their bakery. Our stores are pretty pathetic in that area unless you go to Fresh Market.
Have you guessed that bread is my biggest weakness? I'm intrigued with your quick breads made with self-rising flour. That's something I may try.
Do you make muffins for your Farmer's markets? There's a roasted banana muffin that is very good. I have made it 3 or 4 times and we like it a lot.
I've found there is a market for corn muffins, either with cheese or whole kernel corn - especially with men??? go figure? I plan to make some other muffins when I can. I like offering a variety of items as well as those that sell well.
Oh! I'm coming to Knoxville in a couple of weeks! Will you email me so I can pick your brain about eating out?
When I use self-rising flour in the quick breads, I just leave out the salt, baking powder, and baking soda called for in a recipe that uses all-purpose flour. So far it has worked a treat and mixing goes faster for me.
teresa_nc7
jude31Original Author
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teresa_nc7
jude31Original Author
teresa_nc7