Jenny Git Yer Hoecake

Or Jessie git yer Johnny cake.

Have you ever tried one? Ohhh, man.

Now, if you feel up to it, try making these. I know some people might be intimidated by this recipe because it does not contain some of the measurements, but that's the fun of it! Here it is:

Johnny Cake in rhyme

Two cups Indian, one cup wheat;
One cup good eggs that you can eat.
Ohe-half cup molasses too,
One big spoon sugar added thereto;
Salt and soda, each a small spoon.
Mix it up quickly and bake it soon.


Now, only one hint. "Indian" refers to cornmeal.



All right. But what about Ash Cake, Journey Cake, Hunter's Cake, and Hoe cake you're asking. Well, let me give you those.

Journey cake is the same as Johnny cake.

Hoe cake is made like Johnny cake, but with butter, and cooked on a good, greased hoe over hot coals.

Hunter's cake is made as hoe cake, but with a pinch of baking soda. It is baked on a board near the fire.

Ash cake is a little more specific--
2 cups cornmeal 1/3 cup of butter
1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. soda

Batter is dropped onto the hearth. Once a crust forms on the dough, it is covered with ashes and hot coals, and is baked for another 15-20 minutes.



Now, I love Johnny cake. My siblings like it too. I just wouldn't go serving Johnny cakes at a potluck supper. Someone might think you had a disaster with a batch of big cookies. They just wouldn't understand. :)

I do put butter on Makayla's





For these recipes and more, I recommend the book by Barbara Swell,

Log Cabin Cooking. Children at the Hearth is also a pretty good one.