# Cornmeal Griddle Cakes



## FraidKnot (Jan 12, 2007)

I usually wing this recipe but it goes something like this:

2 cups yellow *cornmeal*
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. buttermilk or sour milk (as needed)

 Stir dry ingredients together then whisk in buttermilk.  Like cornbread, the mixture will appear slightly grainy.  Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto a hot greased *griddle* or cast iron pan to form small pancakes.  Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until golden brown.

These are delicious little *cornmeal* pancakes!

At breakfast time I like mine with just butter but you may certainly top them with maple syrup, sorghum, jam... whatever you like! 

They also make a nice savory accompaniment to a meat, chicken or fish dish in place of potatoes or rice.

Fraidy


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2007)

Hey Fraidy...

When we don't want to go to the trouble of heating up the oven for corn bread...we make the cornmeal pancakes ...we call them fritters...You are right...they are excellent as you mentioned or with any dish that you want "corn bread" with...greens, soups, etc.


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## Katie H (Jan 12, 2007)

Yes, Uncle Bob, I do the same thing with my cornbread batter.  Some nights I just don't want to go to the bother of heating up the oven to make cornbread.  Especially in the summertime because our house isn't air-conditioned.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2007)

I forgot to mention that we keep the griddle/pan well oiled...and Katie...you gotta try this with cane syrup....Hot off the griddle..a little butter...then syrup...It is a very different "pancake"....taste and texture wise...

.......and then there are "hushpuppies"


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## Katie H (Jan 12, 2007)

Yup!  That's what we do for breakfast sometimes.  Yummy!  I like mine with white Karo syrup.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2007)

Katie....

I know you are not confusing Cane syrup with corn (karo) syrup...but you just gotta try it with pure cane syrup.....oh the flavor!!     

Then you may not like Cane syrup...


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 12, 2007)

Uncle Bob ... the ultimate, if you can find it these days .... Ribbon Cane Syrup! About the nearest I can find these days is Steen's Pure Cane Syrup.

But, it's also hard to beat *Brer Rabbit* blackstrap molasses - you just can't beat that stuff on hoe cakes ..


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## Katie H (Jan 12, 2007)

Uncle Bob said:
			
		

> Katie....
> 
> I know you are not confusing Cane syrup with corn (karo) syrup...but you just gotta try it with pure cane syrup.....oh the flavor!!
> 
> Then you may not like Cane syrup...


You're right, I wasn't confusing it.  I'm just hopelessly addicted to white Karo.  Love it on my fried cornmeal mush, too.


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## StirBlue (Jan 12, 2007)

Is the syrup that my mother used to make cane syrup?  She melted down white or brown sugar in a pot added some vanilla and poured it over our pancakes.  Maybe it was more like the white karo syrup.  

.......and then there are "hushpuppies"


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2007)

Michael....

Yeah buddy!!!! Steens is "top of the line" pure cane syrup.
I have been told that the old true ribbon cane is not commercially grown (in large quanities) any longer...most of todays cane are hybrids etc. I have seen some (small) brands that claim Pure ribbon cane...but have not tried them...certainly none on the retail shelves around here...
Got a big bottle of Brer Rabbit in the cabinet...use it mostly in cooking...but like you said is also an excellent product.
I prefer dark Karo in pecan pies..it has a slight cane flavor...at times we add a small amount of Steens to the pecan pie recipe....WOW!!
Last time I was in Abbeville..I ate lunch at a local small cafe...Some of the best Chicken sauce piquante I've had....but that is another story.


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 12, 2007)

Stirblue..

The syrup you describe that you mother made was basically a simple sugar syrup with vanilla added...My grand mother used to make a sugar syrup and add a maple flavoring to it...served it with biscuits...as a child I would just drink the stuff  

Cane syrup is made from the juice of sugar cane...In the old days many people made cane syrup in the south...it was an art form...with folks sometimes getting in aguments over who made the best syrup. Today cane syrup is "big business" with only a few old timers still boiling the cane juice down to syrup in small quanities. One of the best... if not the very best Pure Cane syrup producers today is Steen's...made in Abbeville, Louisiana. Look for it at your local Wally World or maybe go online and order.....Make sure the label says 100% pure cane syrup...Some producers will labe product "cane syrup"..but upon inspection it will contain among other things Corn syrup....Steen's is 100% pure cane!


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## FraidKnot (Jan 13, 2007)

StirBlue said:
			
		

> Is the syrup that my mother used to make cane syrup? She melted down white or brown sugar in a pot added some vanilla and poured it over our pancakes. Maybe it was more like the white karo syrup.
> 
> .......and then there are "hushpuppies"


No idea what your mom made (sounds like simple syrup if it was made with light water and suger and vanilla).  Pure cane syrup is common in the southern U.S.

Nothing at all wrong with hush puppies!  

Fraidy


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## licia (Jan 13, 2007)

I remember my grandad having a "cane grinding" when I was about 4 or 5. The horse would pull the logs around in a circle to power the grinder and a cajillion stalks of cane would go thru to get the juice into a very large pail. It would then be poured into a large metal kettle with a roaring fire underneath and my grandad would stand with a huge strainer to keep the suds skimmed off the top til the syrup was the viscosity he wanted. They would pour the cane syrup into cans and bottles and after most of it was out, my grandmother would pour popcorn, pecans and peanuts into the rest and make the most wonderful candy and lots of it. She would let us eat as much as we wanted.  I thought my grandparents were rich.


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## Shunka (Jan 13, 2007)

A good home-made buttermilk syrup is good on hoecakes too!!


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## licia (Jan 13, 2007)

Shunka, I've never heard of buttermilk syrup. Would you explain that, please!


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## Shunka (Jan 13, 2007)

Well, you use buttermilk, sugar, etc. and then cook it for a bit to make it. Let me find the recipe from a dear friend.


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## Shunka (Jan 13, 2007)

Buttermilk Syrup
1 qt. buttermilk (1 c.)
8 sticks of butter (1 stick)
2 lbs. Powdered sugar (½ lb.)
Heat this while stirring to a boil. Cook for about 7 minutes. Take off of heat and add:
8 Tbsp. Vanilla extract (1 Tbsp.)
4 tsp. Baking soda (1 tsp.)

If you make the large batch, you can cool this to put in smaller containers and freeze it. Just thaw and warm up to use when you want it. BTW, the smaller batch measurements are the ones after the ingredients. (I looked for a catagory to put this in and couldn't find one.)


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## FraidKnot (Jan 13, 2007)

Shunka said:
			
		

> Buttermilk Syrup
> 1 qt. buttermilk (1 c.)
> 8 sticks of butter (1 stick)
> 2 lbs. Powdered sugar (½ lb.)
> ...



Hmmm, sure sounds interesting (and a bit odd!)  I'll have to give this a try.  But only if you swear by it!   If I'd read this anywhere else I'd have to say "Oh, yeah, right" and just moved on...

Fraidy


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## Shunka (Jan 13, 2007)

It is good, although a bit sweet to me. You can use regular sugar if you want. I was skeptical at first when my friend tols me about it but it is good and does freeze well. Some people will add a touch of maple flavoring if they want. I like it because it is so buttery.


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