I tested a lot of old cornbread recipes and most of them were bland or tough.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
That said, there are certainly still cooks out there who make fantastic historical cornbreads, though the old recipes have often been changed to include modern techniques and ingredients.
Many of America's historical cornbreads were staple breads for people who didn't have many other options.
Plain sugar cookies, no matter how well they are made, are a bit boring to me.
The hardest part of anything is making a dish consistently great - you order it seven years later, if it's still on the menu, and it's still as good as what you remember.
I love all kinds of bread. Whenever I crave junk food, I want salty things like peanuts or potato chips.
I knew I shouldn't be eating fried chips, but I'm just not a fan of baked chips, as much as I tried them.
There's no way I'm going to stand up for bad ingredients. We love seasonal ingredients. It's a false dichotomy to say that modern cooking is at odds with that, but some people want to have a great ingredient and no technique.
My observations are not bread crumbs. They do not dissolve. They are on record, on film printed in books, and found on the Internet. I am happy to share them. For this I was born.
But since you're asking me, I'll tell you my opinion: all cornbread is authentic, as long as it's good, hot, and made with love and fresh ingredients.
There is nothing like a good old recipe. If it has lasted, then it is good.