Posted in West Virginia Dining February 18, 2021 by

For The Best Cornbread You’ve Ever Tasted, Here’s Where You Can Find Home-Grown, Fresh-Ground Cornmeal From West Virginia

If, as a state, we had to rank our favorite foods, we could probably all agree on at least a few of the top ten. Pepperoni Rolls. Hot Dogs, but only if they’re done right. And surely, somewhere pretty high on the list, we’d have to add cornbread. Piping hot, crusty cornbread – it’s a classic comfort food good on its own or paired with soup, beans, honey, butter, or just about any food you can name.

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Of course, we're not talking about just any cornbread. No, really good cornbread has to be done just right. For starters, as everyone knows, you have to bake it in a cast iron skillet.
Bruce/Flickr
(Don't you dare wash that pan in soapy water when you're done using it, either. Oh, no. If you want cast iron to treat you right, you've got to treat it right.)
Also, for cornbread that's really off the charts, you need to find yourself some freshly ground, locally grown, heirloom variety cornmeal.
Cristy/OIYS
Yes, such a wonder does exist, and there are a few places to find it. One is Reed's Mill on Second Creek in Monroe County.
Cristy/OIYS
Reed's Mill is located at 1331 Second Creek Rd, Sinks Grove, West Virginia 24976.
You can also purchase local meal from the Babcock State Park Gift Shop... and, since they grind it right on site at the famous Glade Creek Gristmill, it does make fresh, tasty, delicious cornbread!
Todd Neal/Flickr
Babcock State Park is located at 486 Babcock Rd, Danese, West Virginia 25831.
Another local cornmeal producer is K Mac Mills in Mt. Lookout, West Virginia, and their fresh ground cornmeal and cornbread mixes can be purchased at shops around the state, including the Brownstone Mill General Store in Mt. Nebo...
Brownstone Mill/Facebook
Brownstone Mill General Store is located at 132 Brownstone Village Drive, Mount Nebo, West Virginia 26679.
...and the Foodland In Craigsville.
Craisgville Foodland/Facebook
This Foodland is located at 99 Rose St, Craigsville, West Virginia 26205
Cornbread was already 100/100 in our book, but cornbread made with heirloom corn passed down from the Native Americans by Appalachian seed savers for generations... it's off the charts. 
Cayobo/Flickr

What’s your favorite cornbread recipe? We use sour cream, plain yogurt, or kefir in ours instead of milk, and that’s another thing that, in our opinion at least, puts it over the top!

Maybe you can serve it with a side of ramps, another West Virginia favorite, here in another few months…

Address: Secondcreek, WV 24970, USA
Address: Park Forest 802, Danese, WV 25831, USA
Address: 132 Brownstone Village Drive, Mt Nebo, WV 26679, USA
Address: Foodland Dr, Craigsville, WV 26205, USA