Ingredients
– 2 cups of stone-ground cornmeal, white or yellow as you please
– 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour (for a touch of tenderness)
– 1 teaspoon of sugar (just a whisper, now)
– 1/2 teaspoon of salt
– 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
– 2 cups of buttermilk, rich and tangy
– 1 large egg, whisked until frothy
– 1/4 cup of bacon drippings or vegetable oil, for that down-home sizzle
Preparation
1. In a well-worn bowl, whisk together your cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
2. Make a little well in the center, and pour in the buttermilk and beaten egg. Stir ’em together until just combined, but don’t you fuss if there are a few lumps; they’re just little pockets of character.
3. Let the mixture sit for a spell – about 10 minutes should do – it’ll give the cornmeal time to acquaint itself with the moisture.
4. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat and grease ‘er up with a smidge of bacon drippings or oil.
5. Once that skillet’s whispering hot, drop in dollops of your batter – I use about 1/4 cup for each hoecake.
6. Cook ’em until the edges look dry and bubbles dot the surface, then flip them gently. They should be a beautiful, golden brown – just like autumn leaves after the first kiss of frost.
7. Continue cooking ’em for another minute or two, then remove from the skillet. Keep ’em warm in a napkin-lined basket while you cook up the rest.
Variations & Tips
– For the sweet-toothed kin, add a sprinkling of blueberries or a ripe banana to the batter for a twist on the original.
– If buttermilk’s scarce, you can sour some milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice instead; let it sit ’til it curdles a bit.
– Use a well-seasoned skillet, and don’t be in a hurry to flip those cakes. Wait for them to tell you they’re ready, with their little bubbles and crispy edges.
– Hoecakes freeze well, so don’t be afraid to make extra. Just warm ’em up in a toaster or oven for a quick bite of nostalgia any time the craving hits.
Now, when you set these hoecakes on the table, I hope you’ll think of Grandma, passing down her culinary legacy, just as I’m sharing it with you today. Enjoy, my dears.