Hushpuppies vs Cornbread

[fldhkybnva]

Do you have a preference or are you an equal opportunist?

[six dower]

I love both however hushpuppies that I love are sweet (similar to a funnel cake batter) w/o onions, peppers, etc served with honey butter. I have only found this version in a few restaurants in NC. Living in Charleston , I am still searching for a great hushpuppy!

[kengk]

If you ever find yourself in Savannah, go to Pearl's Saltwater Grill for sweet hushpuppies. It's the place I mentioned above. Maybe the owner or chef was from NC...

It has been awhile since we have eaten there and then we thought they had gone down a little from when it was Pearl's Elegant Pelican.

[LA Buckeye Fan]

I'll take the hush puppies with jalapenos in them (hot puppies) dipped in honey. May I also have a side of corn bread? I need to find my fat pants.

[paulj]

What's the venue?

At home I make cornbread, but have tried hushpuppies (I rarely deep fry stuff).

Are the restaurants that give you a choice? Where and what kind? Are hushpuppies an alternative to cornbread, or an alternative to other fried items like french fries? I might expect cornbread to be an alternative to biscuits.

[kengk]

In my neck of the woods hush puppies are only found in places that specialize in fried fish. I do not recall anyplace that you had to ask for them or where they gave you an alternative.

The standard catfish dinner is composed of whole fried catfish, french fries, hushpuppies, cole slaw and a relish plate with sliced onion, pickles and lemon. The places I like, you order by simply saying "fish please" and it comes just as I described.

[fldhkybnva]

I usually associate the availability of hush puppies with fried fish places as well however the only place in town here I have seen them on the menu is a pizza place which is interesting and people see it as an alternative to fries which they also sell.

[kengk]

There is a place we like that makes a slightly sweet hush puppy served with a ramekin of honey butter. In this case they are not fried in the fish grease. They make them very small; about the size of a grape. Bring out a giant basket of them as soon as you sit down.

I will fry shrimp or oysters in shallow oil but have requested that my wife beat me the next time I start talking about a fish fry. We have wonderful places nearby that will serve you all the catfish with hushpuppies and all the other fixings that you can eat for less than $15 a person.

However, if anybody routinely has a deep fryer going I would highly recommend experimenting with the hushpuppies.

[cresyd]

If this is a case of strictly choosing between both (discounting the rest of the meal) - then I would say that I've rarely been disappointed by a hushpuppy. Whereas, I've had more than one piece of overly dry and otherwise bad cornbread. Also, while I will make my own cornbread, I never make my own hushpuppies, so I am more excited to see them.

However, if the quality of both is to a certain standard, then it depends on what I'm eating it with.

[Perilagu Khan]

I've never made my own hush puppies either.

Incidentally, does anybody eat them with anything besides fried fish?

[John E.]

I bet if they do, it's something that is deepfried. A few years ago I had a brother really into the deep fried turkey thing and homemade french fries in the outdoor propane cooker. (He started his woodpile and garage on fire, but that's another story). Anyway, we never did make hushpuppies. It just did not occur to us. Maybe because they are more of a southern thing.

[kengk]

I think in some regions of the American South they are served with BBQ but I'm not positive on that. Just something I *think* I remember reading.

[Uncle Bob]

Your "thinking" is correct. While not widely popular in my area... they are in others...N. Carolina, S. Carolina come to mind.

[Will Owen]

The Captain D's pups I mentioned came to be considered a vital part of a feast centered around piles and piles of fresh oysters. The other sides were pots of corn on the cob, potatoes and andouille chunks all cooked together, and a goodly variety of alcohol, mostly beer. There was bread from a very good bakery, too, but most of that would always go home with the volunteers. No fried fish in sight.

[Perilagu Khan]

If I'd eat oysters, that would sound dam' good.

[cresyd]

Personally, I have always preferred the Long John Silver's variety. I had an ex-boyfriend who lived near one of those, and there were far too many times when in the interest of a quick snack I'd order the snack size (3 hush puppies) and a diet Coke.

Not the world's healthiest snack, but I have very fond memories of it.

[KaimukiMan]

Only had hush puppies once. They were cold, oily, dry, crumbly and not very tasty. clearly the wrong way to prepare them. what are they supposed to be like?

[Sue in Mt P]

They are supposed be hot, a little crunch on the outside and moist inside. I like mine with lots of butter. You had some that were old.

[alkapal]

poor kaimuki man!

they are supposed to be crunchy outside, soft inside morsels of corn bread made with batter with pieces of finely minced onion (traditional) deep-fried by dropping tablespoons-full into the oil in which you just fried your fish. they are not greasy (because the oil was the right temp) and they are served hot….so hot out of the fryer that you have to wait for one to cool down, lest your greediness to eat one gets you a burnt palate.

[PotatoHouse]

I like mine sprinkled with the same Malted Vinegar that I sprinkle on my fish. YUMM!!!

[KaimukiMan]

Got it. A fried cornmeal dumpling. Thanks.

I suppose mine might have started life that way. I'm guessing they made a bunch before opening and had a pile under heatlamps, then they sat on my plate and cooled off while the rest of my meal (also not noteworthy) was prepped.

[vttp926]

I wouldn't pass on either one no matter what the meal is. I love my carbs.

[PotatoHouse]

Depends on what you are eating it with. I wouldn't put hushpuppies in a bowl of chilli beans and I wouldn't eat cornbread at a catfish fry.

[kengk]

We generally only eat hush puppies with fried fish.

[ipsedixit]

Cornbread

[Veggo]

I think of hush puppies as a companion for fried seafood, and cornbread goes with land-based critters - brisket or pork 'Que, chili, even meatloaf.

[Uncle Bob]

No real preference. Its more about what I'm eating it with. ~~ A pot of black-eyes or pink-eyes, or pintos, or greens etc usually calls for Cornbread (in some form) ~~ Fried Fish usually calls for hushpuppies. Then again it's just what strikes my fancy at the time. ~~ They're first cousins...kinda the same relation, yet different in there own special way. ~~~ Week end and week out we probably eat more cornbread. ~~~ it's all good!

[alkapal]

as usual, uncle bob is right on the money! it depends on what i'm eating whether i want hush puppies or cornbread. fried fish? gotta do the pups! ;-). soup? cornbread. beans, field peas, greens? ---> cornbread, corn pone.

now one might ask, "cornbread or corn pone?" that's a tougher decision.

[John E.]

I don't understand the comparison. It's like comparing onion rings to mashed potatoes. Both are good, but are also dissimilar.

[suzigirl]

I get the comparison. To me its more like mashed potatoes and potato cakes. Similar ingredients but different cooking methods. And just to weigh in it depends on what they are going with. Beans or a pot of greens and cornbread. Fried fish and hush puppies. Oh yeah. But if I had to pick one on its own it would be hush puppies and tartar or ranch. I could make it a snack in a heartbeat.

[Perilagu Khan]

Love them both.

Best hush pups I ever had were from Red Lobster. I haven't been there in eons, but the hush puppies were shaped like short, slender cigars, and were heavily spiced with--I think--sage. I doubt RL even makes those hush puppies anymore.

[John E.]

Ok, maybe I was exaggerating just a little. How about comparing French fries and home fries? I just both hushpuppies and cornbread are good but it doesn't seem like it's a one or the other thing. They both have their place.

[suzigirl]

Point taken

[fldhkybnva]

Yea, of course they do. I had been considering two different meals which I feel one goes well with cornbread and the other with hushpuppies and was trying to decide based on which I wanted more at the time. I think my intention in the thread was to hear opinions as I'm sure there are some extremist lover/haters and also to hear what you like to eat each with.

[FrankJBN]

My feeling on these similar breads is that often corn bread is an adequate substitutee when hush puppies would be preferred, but that hush puppies are more strongly tied in place - not as easy a substitute for corn bread.

[ipsedixit]

More like french fries and mashed potatoes.

[Will Owen]

Cornbread is more versatile, but I do adore good hushpuppies. My favorites are ones with minced onion and little depth-charges of cayenne. There used to be an AYCE catfish place in Nashville that had these, and although I knew full well they kept the hushpuppy basket topped up to cut down on our fish consumption, I played right along because I loved them so.

The big favorites in Nashville last time I looked were Captain D's. Yes, it's a chain, but they contributed some one year to an annual benefit oyster feast, and have become an integral part of that, despite numerous attempts to substitute more "authentic" ones.

[fldhkybnva]

A local Neapolitan-style pizza place in town serves the best hushpuppies with diced jalapenos and chipotle mayo. They are quite delicious. I am a sucker for cornbread though - classic cast iron Southern style cornbread. I have been known to finish off a good portion of the pan...

[BuildingMyBento]

Neapolitan hushpuppies served with chipotle mayonnaise. Isn't this country GREAT?

Here's another one- a restaurant in Manhattan called "Bali Sea" offers Oyakodon, a Shirley Temple and New England Clam Chowder.

Back on topic, they're both good, and in NYC, not common enough, but different indeed.