Corn fritters, hoe cakes and Johnny Cakes

A couple of weeks ago, Corn Fritters – Hoe Cakes – Johnny Cakes was the basis of a conversation between an elderly lady and her care-giver at the Dr.’s office. I remembered that sometime back I had read in Tipper’s Blog, Blind Pig and the Acorn, a story about the difference. It appears that they are called different things in different places. Take care and I’ll be seeing you around…Agnes

Batter for Corn Fritters – Johnny Cakes – Hoe Cakes

1/2 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg beaten

1 cup hot water or milk (I use hot water)

1 tablespoon oil

Mix all the dry ingredients; stir in the egg, milk or water, and oil; fry like a pancake. In the cookbook More Than Moonshine, Sidney Saylor Farr shares a story about asking her Grandmother how Johnny Cakes got their name. The gist of her Grandmother’s explanation was: A pioneer lady made her hungry boy, named Johnny, a cake and told him it was Johnny’s cake. I’ve also heard the cakes were originally called Journey Cakes because of the ease with which they could be made as one traveled on their journey.

My husband’s relatives near Ashville N.C. make the Hoe Cake mixture using only flour (self-rising) and bake it in a greased cast iron frying pan. It is served in wedges that are split open and buttered while hot. Johnny Cakes are made from the batter above using both meal and flour. To make the fried hoe cakes: decrease the flour to ¼ cup and increase the cornmeal to 1 and ¼ cups. Mix and drop by large spoonful into hot fat in an iron skillet. Brown and turn and brown on the remaining side. Serve with most anything.

To make corn fritters you only need cornmeal and hot water mixed into a batter with cut off corn and fried in oil. The fancier recipe above has egg and flour which gives the fritter more substance. Corn fritters are good with honey, syrup or a smear of pepper jelly. But my favorite way to eat them is plain. Add chopped onion and you have our hush puppies. (The basis of this article is furnished by Tipper)

Bread Pudding

Generously butter a 9 by 13 baking dish and fill with cubes of stale bread or with stale biscuits that have been split and lightly toasted. Set aside.

6-8 eggs (6 large or 8 medium)

1 and ½ tablespoon vanilla

½ cup milk

1 and ½ cup heavy cream

1 cup brown sugar

1 and ½ cups white sugar

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Combine wet ingredients, sugar, and vanilla. Cover bread with egg and cream mixture.  Let bread soak up custard in the refrigerator, overnight or for several hours.  When ready to bake, put in cold oven and set temperature at 350 degrees. This will allow the pan to warm with the oven. Bake until center is just set, about 40 minutes.  Serve warm with Vanilla Sauce.

Vanilla Sauce

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons good vanilla flavoring

2 tablespoons milk

Whisk all ingredients together and warm in saucepan on low heat.  Pour over top of individual servings.

Left Over Corn Bread Supper

3 to 4 cups crumbled left over cornbread

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

½ pound seasoned sausage meat

¼ cup each of minced onion, bell pepper, and celery

4 to 5 eggs, depending on size

1 cup warm chicken broth or milk

Dash hot sauce

Black pepper to taste

Crumble bread and set aside. Heat bacon drippings in skillet and stir in sausage meat, onions, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring until all is done and stir in cornbread. Meanwhile, beat together eggs, hot sauce, and black pepper. Beat in broth or milk and pour over cornbread mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring until eggs are set. Sprinkle with shredded cheese if desired and serve with fresh vegetable salad.

Recipe for Laughter from email buddy, Pete:

Sitting by the window of her convent, Sister Barbara opened a letter from home one evening.

Inside the letter was a $100 bill her parents had sent.

Sister Barbara smiled at the gesture.

As she read the letter by the window, she noticed a shabbily dressed stranger leaning against the lamp post below.

Quickly, she wrote, “Don’t despair. – Sister Barbara,” on a piece of paper, wrapped the $100 bill in it, got the man’s attention and tossed it out the window to him.

The stranger picked it up, and with a puzzled expression and a tip of his hat, went off down the street.

The next day, Sister Barbara was told that a man was at her door, insisting on seeing her.  She went down, and found the stranger waiting.  Without a word, he handed her a huge wad of $100 bills.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“That’s the $8,000 you have coming Sister,” he replied.  “Don’t Despair paid 80-to-1.”

Remember…good deeds always return with more than you gave…Agnes