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


dian corn into the domestic economy
of European families, it seems to take
no note Of the lamentablc fact that ia
this country corn is less used for
bread than formerly.
Most middlc-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 times
as egg or "battcr bread" and again
in "poncs." 1t was par excellence the
bread of the negro, and every man who
served in the Confederate army was
also full graduate in the use Of it.
Now the darkics cschew it where
wheat bread is to be obtained, and up
on the tables Of thousands of south
crn 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 ground"
meal is better than the product of
mills turned by steam can always find
a 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-respcct-
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 we'll
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 "ashcske,"
very luscious product, indeed. y en-
one has whctted his appetite for it by
long days hunting.
The hoecake is 80 called because it
was originally baked upon 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
whcreon to place the dough while it
went through the process of becoming
well-done ashecake. In Mr.. Lanes
"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
shingle was generally used, but any
sort would do where the best was not
to be had.
Cracking bread,' too, was much
in vogue in the olden days, especially
shortly after hog-killing time. For
the composition Of this bread it was
necessary not only to have. cornmeal,
but also choice bits of crispy, fried
hog meat. It could be baked either as
an a5iiecake in the ashes or as pone
in an oven.
In Europe the insuperable objection
60 the use Of cornmeal fo- 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 not
as paiatabie when cold as when not.
Hence our transatlantic friends and.
kinsmen have never esteemed corn
meal highly Cor 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, but
oftener with rations of cornmeal.
Aud he usually had an appetite which
made him relish corn bread hot or
cold In his marches-advances or
retreats-he was often without cook
| ing utensils, and found it advantage
GUS to cook ashcakes. The average
Johnny Reb asked no greater luxuries
than good, big ashecake and can
teen Of buttermilk. The ashcake he
corld generally get, hnttermi.k vas .
! rarity. For it the country was scour-
ed by soldiers afoot or mounted, and
these fellows came to be known,
if not honored, as "buttermilk ran
gers
Cornmeal was cooked in all possi-
bic ways by our soldiers; and there