CORNBREAD
¾ c. cornmeal (yellow or white)
1/3 c. sugar
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted shortening (butter, margarine or oil)
1 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
1 egg, well beaten
Preheat oven to 425°F. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add milk, egg and shortening. Mix together. Pour into a greased, shallow baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Cut into wedges and serve warm with butter, honey or jam. Serves 8.
Reprinted from “What’s Cooking in Martha Washington’s Presidential Mansion Cooking Throughout American History” by Tanya Larkin.
PANCAKE MIX
1 c. George Washington pancake mix*
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar (Molasses or brown sugar can be used; cakes will brown better.)
1 egg
¾ c. milk
2 tsp. melted shortening or salad oil or 6 tsp. oil for waffles
Sift together pancake mix, baking powder, salt and sugar. Beat egg until light. Add milk and melted shortening. Add all dry ingredients at one time. Mix. If too thick, add a little more milk. Bake on hot griddle.
GRITS (YELLOW OR WHITE)
Put the desired measured amount of grits in deep dish with running water to float off the light chaff parts of the corn. To each cup of wet grits, add 2½ c. of water. Boil slowly for 20-25 minutes. When the grits begin to thicken, stir constantly. Grits will get tender and sticky when they are done.
*Allergy Alert: All our Gristmill products are made in a facility that processes cornmeal, wheat and barley. In addition, our pancake mix is made with corn, wheat and barley.
ORIGINAL HOECAKE RECIPE
This is an excerpt from a letter written at Woodlawn Plantation by Nelly Custis Lewis, Martha Washington’s youngest granddaughter, to her long-time friend, Elizabeth Bordley Gibson of Philadelphia, Jan. 7, 1821: “…The bread business is as follows—if you wish to make 2½ quarts of flour up-take at night one quart of flour, five table spoonfuls of yeast & as much lukewarm water as will make it the consistency of pancake batter, mix it in a large stone pot & set it near a warm hearth (or moderate fire) make it at candlelight & let it remain until the next morning then add the remaining quart & a half by degrees with a spoon(sic)—when well mixed let it stand 15 or 20 minutes & then make it like pancake batter, drop a spoonful at a time on a hoe or griddle (as we say in the South)—When done on one side turn the other-the griddle must be rubbed on the first instance with a piece of beef suet or the fat of cold corned beef….”
ADAPTATION OF THE HOECAKE RECIPE
Reprinted from “Dining With the Washingtons,” edited by Stephen A. McLeod.
Makes about 15 4-6-inch hoecakes
½ tsp. active dry yeast
2½ c. white cornmeal, divided
3 to 4 c. lukewarm water
½ tsp. salt
1 lg. egg, lightly beaten
Melted butter for drizzling and serving
Honey or maple syrup for serving
1. Mix the yeast and 1¼ c. of the cornmeal in large bowl. Add 1 c. of the lukewarm water, stirring to combine thoroughly. Mix in ½ c. more of the water, if needed, to give the mixture the consistency of pancake batter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 200°F.
3. When ready to finish the hoecakes, begin by adding ½ to 1 c. of the remaining water to the batter. Stir in the salt and the egg, blending thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the remaining 1¼ c. of cornmeal, alternating with enough additional lukewarm water to make a mixture that is the consistency of waffle batter. Cover with towel, and set aside at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Heat a griddle on medium-high heat, and lightly grease it with lard or vegetable shortening. Preparing one hoecake at a time, drop a scant ¼ c. of the batter onto the griddle and cook on one side for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. With a spatula, turn the hoecake over and continue cooking another 4 to 5 minutes, until browned.
6. Places the hoecake on a platter and set it in the oven to keep warm while making the rest of the cakes. Drizzle each one with melted butter.
7. Serve the hoecakes warm, drizzled with melted butter and honey or maple syrup.