hoecakes

I teach 2nd grade and this week we're reading George Washington's Breakfast.  On Friday I want to make hoecakes just like they did in the book.  I think it's like a cornmeal pancake.  It needs to be pretty easy since I'll be doing it with 22 seven and eight year olds.  I also need them to be cooked on an electric griddle, no frying.  Any help would be appreciated by me and lots of kiddos.

To me hoecakes are just cornbread that is fried like a pancake. For simplicity, just take a mix (Jiffy or other) and fry them. Very easy and the kids will love helping. Serve while warm with butter, honeybutter, jams, syrup (messy!) or sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon/sugar. My sister and I use to butter our hoecakes, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, roll them up and pretend we were eating cigars.......gag!!!

This is a Paula Deen recipe.

Oh thank you!  That sounds yummy and easy.  Just what I need.  All the extras (butter, syrup, ect... ) will really make them into a treat for my class.  We'll have a fun Friday.

Did your history book tell you how they made hoe cakes in George's days? They really did them on large, cleaned hoes because housewives cooked in fire places and did not hyet ave wood stoves or skillets as we know them now. They just made plain cornmeal mush from meal and water, maybe a tad of salt, NOTHING else. Then they cleaned a hoe,  heated it in the fire oplace, greased it and made pattties from the mush and grilled them on the hot hoe.

They were made fairly thin and well done and crisp so they could also be carried into the field or  as rations when travelling and therefore later acquired the name Journey cakes (or as some now call them: Johnnycakes.

This history of hoe cakes can be found in re-prints of  the old Williamsburg cookbook from the 1700s. If your library does notb have it they can get it for you through intra library loan.

All the modern versions should  not be called hoe cakes but cornmeal pan cakes.

I got this recipe from the Country Living November 2001 magazine. I've used it several times, because it's quick, easy, and good. It calls for boiling water, so of course, you'll have to do that part.

Some people call it hot water cornbread (made with just cornmeal and hot (boiling) water. You add the water to the cornmeal while it's boiling hot, and stir. Also, some people call them JohnnyCakes. It's only cornmeal and water (and maybe a pinch of salt), but it's very good. That's how people used to make them when they didn't have flour, eggs, etc. Here's a recipe I've had for a while:

KENYON JohnnyCakes

 

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups boiling water

vegetable-oil cooking spray

Prepare the batter: Stir together cornmeal, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the boiling water and stir vigorously. Batter may be thick. Add more water as needed to thin the batter.

Cook the Johnnycakes: Heat a cast-iron skillet (or griddle) over high heat until it's very hot. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Drop batter by the tablespoon onto the grill. Do not turn cakes until browning can be seen around the edges--cook for at least 6 minutes. Spray the top with a little more cooking spray, turn, and cook until cooked through -- 5 to 6 minutes. If you prefer thinner cakes, add up to 1/2 cup milk to the batter.

 

I've made these, and they're very 'old-fashioned' good. I've never needed to add the milk, and also, I never sprayed the tops before turning them. My griddle is 'used' enough that I didn't feel the need for the additional spray. Of course, if you're afraid they'll stick, you can use your own judgement. I really like them, but I'm a cornbread lover anyway.