The Old-School Southern Classic That Was Johnny Cash's Go-To Comfort Food

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It may not come naturally to associate Johnny Cash with good eating. After all, the Man in Black famously wrote songs like "Folsom Prison Blues," and prison food doesn't sound appetizing, while "Ring of Fire" might make you worry about indigestion burn, burn, burning. But in his personal life, Johnny Cash had favorite foods just like anyone else and even put some of them down in a family cookbook. One of Johnny Cash's favorite vintage country dishes was a southern recipe that is worth whipping up yourself, possibly with a Johnny Cash album playing in the background while you cook. Cash loved a pan of skillet cornbread with white cheddar cheese, onions, and jalapeño peppers.

This spicy take is a long way away from sweet and savory maple syrup cornbread, and the recipe can be found in "The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook," complete with stories from son John Carter Cash. Apparently, not only did his father love this cornbread recipe, but he also had an unusual way of eating it: He would take a slice of cornbread, crumble it into a glass of buttermilk, and eat the mixture with a spoon.

While a spoonful of a savory, spicy buttermilk-cornbread milkshake may not be your proverbial cup of tea, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy the Carter Cash cornbread with no extra liquid required. In fact, another look at "The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook" brings one to mind, if you find the recipe for Johnny Cash's signature dish, iron-pot chili. Chili and cornbread are a famous dynamic duo of the culinary world, and pairing two Carter Cash family recipes together makes for a thematic take on a classic meal.

Cornbread can also be used as an addition to plenty of recipes, and if you like Johnny Cash's version, consider making some and using it to enhance a cornbread-based dish. For instance, cornbread dressing is a treat that many look forward to every year at southern-style Thanksgiving dinners, and Johnny Cash's cornbread would pair well alongside turkey and all your favorite sides. You can also make cornbread-topped casseroles or turn leftover cornbread into a savory French toast breakfast, with the cheese and jalapeños in the Cash cornbread adding richness and heat.