Arkansas Cornbread Festival A Delicious Addition to Little Rock Scene

Folks at the 2012 Arkansas Cornbread Festival
on South Main Street in Little Rock

Although it's a small benefit to you to tell you about an annual event after the fact, it's still a benefit. Hey, you'll be up on it next year, and in 2013, it'll still only be the third annual Arkansas Cornbread Festival.

Finally, let it not be said that there's nothing to do in the Rock. This and some other festivals prove it. I could have gone Friday to a beer festival in the Argenta district of North Little Rock. I could have gone last week to the cheese dip festival. Guess I'll have to put those two on my own to-do for 2013.

First, if you're on a diet, then not to worry. Samples are bite size. The Jenny and I sampled a dozen or more offerings but didn't get too full. To one end of the multi-block stretch of South Main Street, there were some hot dog stands and other food vendors if you wanted to make a lunch out of the visit.

I can honestly swear on the Bible that I did not have one piece of bad cornbread. Even the worst was merely above ordinary. My favorite was the sampling from the El Dorado folks. It was deep fried and had a hush-puppiness to it. The Boulden Prize for Best Beans & Cornbread goes to Redbones. Their black beans had a smoky, meaty flavor you might expect from a BBQ place but its extra flavorful quality won me over.

Turnout was quite good, and it was nice to see this unabashedly Southern staple get its due. Entrees tend to dominate such affairs. I fully expect this festival to continue to grow and possibly become a genuine big deal in a few years.

The South Main setting was a plus. Jenny and I sought momentary refuge from the unexpectedly hot sun and air at the Green Store on South Main. She had a honey-ginger soda from the soda fountain, and I had some sweet cream-and-pear ice cream from the same. We cooled ourselves and our palettes, then went back for our second and final round of cornbread.

If I had one suggestion, then it would be a less confusing ballot. Each booth should have had a unique number instead of having, for example, two 5s — one for the professional competition between restaurants and caterers and one for amateurs. That probably would have worked better had there not also been a short Overall category. Also, next year, throw in a water vendor somewhere in the center of the strip of cornbread booths. Such a thing likely could be a good moneymaker for the festival if it's in the 80s again for the festival in 2013.

Keep it on your calendar for next autumn.

Rating: Arkansas Cornbread Festival — A.