Annie mae jones' cornmeal muffins

2 c  Cornmeal,sifted*
    3/4 ts Baking soda
    1/2 ts Salt
      1    Egg
  1 1/2 c  buttermilk
  1 1/2 tb Lard or vegetable shortening
  1 1/2 tb butter
 
  1. Preheat oven to 400'F.
  
  2. Grease 2 6-cup muffin tins with vegetable shortening or lard. Place in
  oven to heat.
  
  3. Sift cornmeal, soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.
  
  4. Beat egg with buttermilk. Heat shortening with butter until melted; add
  to egg and buttermilk and blend. Add to dry ingredients all at once and
  stir just enough to give the mixture a rough appearance. Add additional
  buttermilk if mixture seems too dry.
  
  5. Pour into hot muffin pans and bake about 20 minutes, or until lightly
  browned. Serve hot with plentyof soft butter and any homemade jelly or jam.