Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-24
Table and Kitchen.
Maize, the Indians Staff Of Life, a
Gift of the Great Spirit.


Gift Of the Great Spirit.
There is no more popular article Of food
on hotel or restaurant bill of fare than hot
cornbread, and it is strange that 1t is not
found more generally on the home tables
in all parts Of the country. It is cheap,
easily made and very satisfying, and its
rich coloring in brown and gold is most
effective from decorative standpoint.
The people Of the south appreciate this
useful product, and their pone and hoecake
are dear to them as any other Of their
most cherished institutions and customs.
However, they repudiate the rich yellow
cornmeal of the north, although its praises
have been sung by the poets and sages have
left eloquent testimony Of its homely value.
The meal made from the corn grown in the
north has a pronounced flavor that is not
agreeable to those not accustomed to 1t
from childhood. 1t is as rule very much
coarser in texture, harder and richer in
fat, and consequently less digestible than
the delicate, soft white meal used in dixie
land. Chemical analysis shows that corn
Is inferior from nutrftiye standpoint to
hard wheat, but contains nearly or quite as
much heterogeneous matter as the soft varie-
ties of wheat, while it is richer in fat than
any other cereal except oats. In its digest-
BILE carbohydrates 1t Is equal to wheat,
though somewhat inferior to barley and
rye.
Cornmeal deteriorates and its sweetness
is soon lost If it is not well cured and fresh
ly ground. This is point for the house
wife to remember in buying meal. 1t is
best to purchase such quantities as will
soon be used, and only the freshest and
newest in quality.
The American Indians, who held the we'll
established belief that maize was an espe-
cial gift from the Great Spirit to the red
man and designed for the nourishment of
himself and children unto the last genera
ton, had very simple process of preserv-
ing this food, and at the same time keep
ing the flavor unchanged. First they care
fully dried the ears, then the corn was
.shelled and the grain dried. After this it
was carefully stored In the ground and
effectually protected by Indian mats and
coverings of various kinds. In this way
the corn was kept sweet and was easily
ground, as needed. into a soft meal. Owing
to the absence of gluten, cornmeal cannot
be used for making ordinary bread, but
this does not lessen its value and greatly
Increases its chances of wholesomeness, as
most raised or yeast breads are badly made
on account of the process of fermentation
being so little understood that 1t becomes a
menace to health and renders the wheat
flour valueless for the purpose designed.
Delicate Cornbread.
Use the fine white meal for this bread.
Take pint of sour milk and a heaping
teaspoonful Of soda, a tablespoonful Of
shortening and a pinch Of salt. Stir In
enough meal to make a batter the con-
Sisteney of sponge cake. Turn into a but
tered pan and bake in quick oven.
Maryland Spoon Bread.
Put quart of milk in a double boiler. and
when scalded add four large kitchen spoon
fuIs of white cornmeal and stir and cook
five minutes Remove from the fire and let
1t cool, stirring It once or twice as it cools.
It'll ~ ofay, taI1 a-
spoonfuls of -four. one tablespoonful of but
ter and a scant teaspoonful of salt. Mix
well, then pour into a creased baking dish
and bake thirty-five minutes. Serve i'm
mediately in the dish in which it is baked
with a folded napkin wrapped around the
dish.
Togus Bread.
Three cups of sweat milk and one of sour,
three cups of white cornmeal and one of
wheat -four, half cup of molasses, one
teaspoonful of soda and one Of salt. Steam
three hours. Serve hot or cold. The above
quantity makes enough for several meals.
Aunt Betsey's Cornbread.
Beat one egg light with a pinch of salt;
add two. cups of sweet milk, two table,
spoonfuls of molasses, level tablespoonful
Of butter melted, sufficient cornmeal to
make a rather stiff batter. but one that
will pour; add two teaspoonfuls of baking
powder mixed with the cornmeal.
Corn Dodgers.
Mix into two cups of white cornmeal a
teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful OF
shortening and enough water to make a
stiff batter. Bake in little pones until a
light, even brown.
Virginia Corn Batter Cakes.
Sift teaspoonful of sugar and half
teaspoonful of salt with one and one-haif
cups of white cornmeal. Add a cup Of
boiled rice and a level tablespoonful Of but
ter, melted Mix all together and scafd
with pint Of boiling water. stirring con-
stantly Dissolve a scant teaspoonful OF
| soda In one and one-half cups of sour milk
] and stir this into the mixture. Last OF all