So you know - I am really lucky to have a husband who prepares dinner most nights and has it ready and waiting for me when I walk through the door after work. Also lucky to have husband who enjoys cooking, trying new recipes and exposing me to new and unsual foods from time to time. Well, except for last week when I came home and saw these "things" cooking in the frying pan and asked "are those potato cakes or something else?" He replied "they are hoe cakes". "Hoe - whats?" I ask looking closer. Anyone who knows Curt, knows he researches everything and proceeds to tell me about hoe cakes. So here's a picture -
Now you get the low down on hoe cakes - "originally, Native Americans cooked these on hot rocks in an open fire and they were commonly referred to as "ash cakes". Later on, settlers from Europe adopted the recipe, cooking the cakes on the blades of their hoes in the fireplace. This is where they get the name "hoe cakes". " Excellent - so I take a taste of the batter and instantly ask, "exactly what is in here?" "Well - water, cornmeal and salt". Yeah - that's what I thought (think TREK everyone).
"Where did you get the recipe?" I ask, "Well, I found it on the Hillbilly Housewife site, she says this recipe was the oldest, cheapest and tastiest of all." I'm thinking, "the Hillbilly Housewife? That doesn't even sound like a site I'd be interested in visiting, and NOW, not a site I'm going to visit." (side note - please DO visit the Pioneer Woman Cooks link on my page, it's FABULOUS - no hoe cakes there). Anyway - the hoe cakes were NOT good. When I used to read my Little House on the Prairie books with Laura Ingells telling about how delicious the food used to be after slaving away over their wood burning stoves - I believed her. I know they didn't have the wealth of spices and herbs we do today, but when I was little, I ate my Grandmothers food (from the wood stove) and it was delicious. Cornmeal, water, salt. NOT delicious - NOT the best experiment.
Out of curosity though, I did google hoe cakes and found a recipe from Paula Dean (adding buttermilk and bacon grease) that might be worth trying. It sounds alot better than the Hillbillies. Always an adventure!
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5 comments:
EEEWWWWW- I think that is so cool though that Curt does that anyway. You guys are both good cooks.
ps I did think of trek when you were describing it.
After Holly and Ryan said you had the funniest post, I had to come home and check it our myself. WOW, that seems amamzing and very pioneerish. Is CUrt preparing for a famine? Well, if so, we will be at your housse for Hoe cakes to keep our tummies full. NOw to go check out the refered sites!!!
Marcia- How lucky to come home to dinner each night! BUT- I don't know about the Hoe Cakes-J/K I laughed and laughed about it but good for Curt for experimeting.
Way to go Curt!! Keep trying!!
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