The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-24
Hoecake and Corndedgers.

of European families, it seems to take
no note of the lamentable fact that in
this country corn is less used for
bread than formerly.
Most middle-aged persons remem-
Der we'll when corn bread was served
upon nearly all tables in the South
and west at least twice day. Some
times it appeared in the form Of "hoe-
cake" or dodgers at other ZINES
as egg or Chatter Bread and again
in "pones." It was par excellence the
bread of the ncsro, and every man who
served in the Confederate army was
also full graduate in the use of it.
Now the diarkies eschew it where
wheat bread is to be obtained, and up
on the tables of thousands of south.
ern and western whites it never ap-
pears at all, while others continue to
use it only for dinner.
Now, why is this? Surely. corn
meal is as good as it ever was. Those
who sincerely, but probably mistaken
ly, believe that the battle-ground"
meal is better than the product Of
mills turned by steam can always find
supply of that in most cities, and it
is common enough in the country.
There is no trouble about the meal,
but we doubt whether the art of cook
ing it has been preserved. The high
toned colored damsels who are turned
out by our public schools are not the
adopts that our old Aunt Dinahs and
Aunt Peggys were. No self-respect-
ing pan of dough could be conjured
into shape by such unskilled hands.
| And then we may doubt whether corn
bread can be cooked in stove as well
as an open fireplace.
The Indians laid their dough cakes
between layers of forest leaves, or up
| on the hard ground, and cooked them
| in the hot ashes., Hence 'ashcake,"
very luscious product, indeed. when
/ one has whetted his appetite for it by
| a long days hunting.
The hoecakc is so called because it
was originally baked upon u hoe-that
| ever-ready and useful instrument OF
| agriculture, which is to be found up
on every plantation. But later on
| cooking utensils were manufactured,
| which took the place of the humble
| hoe. So, too, shingles were used
| whereon to place the dough while it
| went through the process of becoming
a well-done ashecake. In Mr.. Lanes S
"Choir Invisible, which contains
many interesting incidents Of border
life in Kentucky, we observe that the
| favorite shingle for this purpose was
| cut from the ash tree. In eastern
| Virginia and North Carolina cypress
| single was generally used, but any
| sort would do where the best was no,
to be had.
"Crackling bread" too, was much
in vogue in the olden days, especially
shortly after hog-killing IT, Fol-
the composition of this bread it was
necessary not only to have cornmeal.
but also choice bits Of crispy, fried
hog meat. 1t could be baked either as
an ashecake in the ashes or as pone
in an oven.
In Europe the insuperable objection
| to the use of cornmeal for human food
| is that in most countries the family
baking is done only once week. Now
| it is we'll known that corn bread is moi
as palatable when cold as when hot.
Hence our transatlantic friends ano
kinsmen have never esteemed corn
meal highly for family food. They
buy it nowadays in great quantities
but use it for the most part as cattle
feed.
| The Confederate soldier was some
| times served with rations of -four, bu
oftener with rations of cornmeal
| And he usually had an appetite which
made him relish corn bread hot o.
cold. In his marches-advances o.
| retreats-he was often without cook
ing utensils, and found it advantage
GUS to cook ashcakes. The averag'
Johnny Reb asked no greater lu1urie
than a good, big ashecake and a can
teen of buttermilk. The ashcake h
could generally get, buttermilk was
rarity. For it the country was scour
ed by soldiers afoot or mounted, ant
these fellows came to be known
| if not honored, as "buttermilk ran
gers"
| Cornmeal was cooked in all possl
tl1 H. our ool1;oro. and thnr