Bread - the real deal

So this recipe is taken from "A Mess O'Greens - and Other Joys of Living: A Scot's Survival Manual South of the 31st Parallel" (a cookbook that belonged to Aunt Callie and was passed on to me, written by Lance Anderson)

But here's the deal...I didn't get this from a cookbook. This recipe was taught to me - not read - by my grandmother, Nahn. She told me she grew up eating this. The kiddos would run through the kitchen as Big Nannie (my great grandmother) cooked up some hoecakes. They'd pinch off the cooked edges of the bread, and by the time they were done pinching, there was only a little circle left on the plate! If you try these, you'll understand exactly how this is possible. This is the PERFECT bread for me - simple goodness with no gluten and no yeast!

The first time I ate these, Sam and I had gone to eat Sunday lunch at my grandparents' house. As we finished up the meal (which included SEVERAL hoecakes for me), Sam and my grandfather turned their attention to icecream for dessert. When a bowl was offered to me, all I could say was "Not a chance...I'm going to eat more of this cornbread!" I remember telling Sam, "this is the first real bread I've had in MONTHS - don't judge me!!" (with a big grin on my face). This is a simple, mmmm-azing, good ol' tried and true Southern recipe that is worth passing down. Thank you, Nahn, for passing it on to me. I'll pass it on to these fine folks, and one day...to your great grandkids.

The following is an excerpt from the cookbook (with my two cents added in here and there):

HOECAKE

Hoecake is the favorite among experienced eaters of cornbread. Corn chips of recent invention are only thinner versions of hoecake. The flavor is the same. It is the bread of choice when there are only a couple of people in the house. A proper hoecake will serve just two people.

1 cup waterground cornmeal

1/2 tsp. salt (I don't follow this. We like salt, and I don't like to measure...so...) *GRIN*

Boiling water

Oil to fry bread

- Mix cornmeal and salt in mixing bowl.

- Add boiling water slowly until mixture closes quickly behind a stirring spoon.

- Pre-heat oil (I heat mine to Medium heat)

- Pour batter into oil (you can do enough to fill the pan or put in spoonfuls)

- Stand over it and enjoy the aroma.

- When the edge of the hoecake is amber-colored and crisp, flip the hoecake (uncooked side down).

At the first smell of burning, turn the hoecake out on a cooling rack (I use a plate covered with paper towels to absorb some of the oil).

We ate ours with ground meat and cheese, freshly cooked cabbage, and black-eyed peas. Absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to beat. If you want to do this in a healthy manner, slather on some butter and top with honey - YUUUUUUUUUUUM :-P