Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1897-09-23
What's the Matter with Hoecakep

| inclined to make sensation out of
the sudden discovery that the world
has not produced enough wheat to
carry it through cereal year,
which began on the lst of Septem-
ber. The Telegraph says that there
cannot be the shadow of doubt
that crisis exists in the wheat
trade, and then it goes on to give
the figures on which it bases its
statement.
We need not''reproduce them here.
Suffice it to say that, according to
the estimates, when the wheat sup.
plies that are available are all for
warded to market, there will still
be deficiency in the worlds sup
ply of from twelve to fifteen millions
of quarters.
Indeed, the situation in London
is of such a character that the doc
tors and others of scientific turn
have come to the front with anti
bread views. They declare that a
diet made up mostly Of bread tends
to shorten life and breed diseases.
One of the doctors says that a ce-
real diet originates heart disease,
gout, asthma, paralysis, many forms
of lunacy, brain disease, and lot
Of other ills.
We thank our stars that the at
tacks of these doctors are leveled
against wheat, rye and oats, and
not against corn bread, says the At
lanta Constitution. In the south,
and indeed in all parts of this glo-
rious country, we have the corn
pone and it's kind to fall back on.
Among those who are engaged in
the crusade against wheaton bread, 3,
we note the name of Mr.. 7. p.
O'Connor. As Mrs. O'Connor is a
southern woman, we advise her to
take Thomas P. by the hand, lead
him to a cool place and there in
form him what long array of de-
licious ard strengthening dishes
may be made from corn meal.
We lay no great stress on the corn
pone, preferring the hoecake on the
ground that even an amateur can
not go amiss in preparing and cook
ing it. Yet we would not be un-
derstood as ignoring the pone.
Coming hot to the table, where
there is plenty of butter, together
with a pitcher of buttermilk an
hour old, no more delicious meal
can be invented-that is to say, for
a hungry man and healthy
stomach. In this shape, and with
these surroundings, the corn pone
is indeed the staff of life, the com
forter of childhood, the mainstay of
middle life and the solace of old
age, which it keeps hardy and green.
But we doubt if there is in Eng
land, or in all Europe tor that mat,
ter, a cook who can prepare the
corn pone, for neither Chloe nor
Mandy is travelling abroad this
year. No white cook can manage
it. In the hands of those entirely
caucasian, the corn pone becomes
heavy and hard. 1t is either un
derdone or overdone. And then
there is no underground meal in
England or on the continent, SO
that it is useless to 60 further into
the matter of the corn pone.
| The hoecake is another matter
1t is the essence of simplicity. Il
lends itself as gracefully to ignor
ance as to art. The most stupit
person in the world cannot go amis'
in preparing it-a little meal, q lit
tie water, suggestion of salt, {
swift kneading, a bed of Goals, anc
the shoe" arranged to turn on {
pivot. We have seen cooks wht
could turn the cake over at thu
proper time by giving the handle
of the "hoe" a twist with the wrist
but that art is for the few, the gift
ed few.
But the hoecake should not bt
made too thick, nor yet too thin
nor should it be cooked too long. A
shadow of brown Gas faint as tb,
first suggestion of DAWN shoulc
warn amateurs to draw the coal
from under the "hoe," turn the CAKE
over, and leave it here moment
1t is to be served hot with butter
or with brown ham gravy.
{ As for the other uses to whicl
corn meal may be put, we need no
go into details. The pone and th'
hoecake are variations of the ash
cake, which is the standard; but |
hundred delicaeies may be mad
from corn meal--egg-bread, mullins
griddle cakes, pancakes. We nee'
not 90 through the list.
II is pity that the halfstarve'
laborers Of Europe know little o
nothing Of the merits of corn mea
as an article of food. This lsnowl