Biscuits, Jems, Pancakes and Fritters
“What an excellent thing did God bestow on man when He gave him a good stomach.”
—Beaumont and Fletcher.
FRITTERS.—Beat four eggs very light. Do not separate yolks and whites but beat together about five minutes; add one scant cupful of milk, one small teaspoon of salt and just a dash of baking powder (about as large as a small bean). Quickly whisk in enough sifted flour to make a thin pan cake batter. Beat smooth. Drop by spoonfuls into deep smoking hot lard and fry like doughnuts. Drain, and serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or jelly sauce.—Mrs. B. G. Whitehead.
SOUTHERN WAFFLES.—Mix together one scant pint of sifted flour and one generous pint of milk until smooth; add one half cupful of melted butter and the well beaten yolks of three eggs; then the well beaten whites and one half teaspoon of salt. Just before baking add two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and hot lard. Bake in a hot, well greased waffle iron and serve immediately with butter and maple syrup or honey.—Mrs. B. G. Whitehead.
PAN CAKES.—For a family of six, take one quart of butter milk or of slightly clabbered sour milk. Beat into it two level teaspoons of soda and one small teaspoon of salt. Add the beaten yolks of two eggs and then enough flour to make a smooth batter, not too stiff. If too thick add a little more milk. Lastly add one tablespoon of melted butter and the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. Rub the smoking hot griddle with a piece of suet fastened to a skewer or fork, drop butter on by tablespoonful and bake the cakes a nice brown, turning once. Serve immediately on hot plates. These cakes may be served with butter and syrup or they may be spread with jam or jelly and rolled. Using half flour with half corn meal makes good corn cakes or half graham flour for graham cakes.—Mrs. Whitehead.
CORN OYSTERS OR CORN FRITTERS.—Grate eight large ears of corn, or split each row of corn down the center and scrape out all of the pulp. Beat the yolks of two eggs, add them to the corn pulps with half a teaspoon of salt and the beaten whites of eggs and then add enough rolled cracker crumbs to make a thick batter. Fry oyster shape, in deep, smoking fat and put in the oven to crisp while the balance of the cakes are frying. Do not use flour to thicken the batter. The crackers are much nicer and give the true oyster flavor. These are made from fresh, green corn, only.—Mrs. Whitehead.
CORN DODGERS.—Put one cup of corn meal, one half teaspoon of salt in double boiler; add one cup boiling water; beat smooth and add one tablespoon butter. Cook and steam covered for one hour. Butter a griddle, drop by spoonful on it, put down fat and when browned put bit of butter on each, before turning. Good served with broiled ham or cooked in frying pan after bacon or sausage.
HOE CAKE.—Put one quart of white corn meal in a bowl; add one teaspoon salt, add sufficient boiling water to just moisten, stirring all the time, beating to stiff batter. Moisten hands in cold water and make corn meal into small round cakes. Bake on plank in front of open fire three quarters of an hour or fry slowly on griddle. When done pull apart, butter and send to table hot.
BEATEN BISCUIT (VIRGINIA).—Three pints pastry flour mixed with one cup lard; one teaspoon salt, mix together like pie crust. Make into stiff dough with milk or milk and water mixed, and knead well; beat or pound with a rolling pin or mallet one hour. The dough should be smooth and glossy and bits should break off with a snap. Shape in thin, flat cakes. Pick all over with a sharp fork and bake until a delicate brown and until the edges crack a little. Must bake thoroughly or they will be heavy in the middle.
JOHNNY CAKE OR CORN BREAD.—One cup corn meal, one half cup flour, two small teaspoons sugar, two tablespoons butter, or drippings, one beaten egg; salt; one cup of sour milk; one level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a bit of hot water. Beat well and bake in greased tin. May be made with sweet milk and baking powder if preferred. Makes one pan of bread. The foregoing recipes were demonstrated by Mrs. Whitehead in a paper on Southern Cookery.
POPOVERS.—Cup sweet milk, one egg, two tablespoons melted butter, two cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder. Bake in gem pans in a hot oven.—Mrs. Mary Harvey.
GRAHAM MUFFINS.—One egg, one and one half cups sour milk, one teaspoon soda, a little salt, two tablespoons melted butter, two tablespoons molasses, graham flour to make a light batter. Bake in gem tins.—Mrs. Mary Harvey.
WHEATEN GEMS.—Mix one teaspoon baking powder and a little salt into one pint of flour; add to the beaten yolks of two eggs one teacup sweet milk or cream; a piece of butter (melted) half the size of an egg, the flour with baking powder and salt mixed and the well beaten whites of the two eggs. Beat well and bake immediately in gem pans in a hot oven.—Mrs. L. L. Lampman.
PRUNE BROWN BREAD.—One cup corn meal, two cups graham flour, one half cup molasses, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda and same of salt, one cup dried prunes washed, pitted and chopped fine. Scald the corn meal and then add the other ingredients; put in greased tins and steam three hours.—Mrs. L. L. Lampman.
MRS. BURK’S NUT BREAD.—Baking powder. One cup sugar, one egg, two cups sweet milk, a pinch of salt, four teaspoons baking powder, four cups flour, one cup of chopped walnuts or more, mix together, let raise twenty minutes, pour into greased coffee cans (uncovered). Bake in moderate oven till brown (45 minutes or more). Slice cold.—Mrs. S. J. Creaser.
BAKING POWDER BISCUITS.—One quart flour, three teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon salt, sifted through the flour, mix smooth with three tablespoons of butter and lard in equal portions, mix lightly into a soft dough with about three cups milk. Roll and cut in small biscuits. Bake in greased tins in a quick oven.—Dorothy Whitehead.
SWEDISH TIMBALE CASES.—Beat one egg well; add one fourth cup of milk, a few grains of salt, one teaspoon of olive oil and one half cup of flour or enough to make almost a drop batter. Beat it until very nice and smooth. Pour it into a small cup just large enough to hold the timbale iron. Heat the timbale iron in the hot fat for about ten minutes, then lower it into the batter about one inch, turn it partly over as you take it out so the cases will not slip off, then plunge the iron into the fat and when browned slightly lift it up, and drain and slip the cup from the iron. When all are fried fill the cases with any delicate meat, game, fish or oysters, cut small and warmed in a rich cream sauce.—Contributed.
PANCAKES.—One cup sour milk, half cup of sour cream, small teaspoon soda dissolved in water and stirred in the milk; half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon baking powder mixed with flour enough to make thin batter.—Mrs. L. L. Lampman.
PANCAKES.—Two cups flour, two cups milk, two teaspoonfuls sugar, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful melted butter, two eggs beaten separately. Have griddle hot and clean but do not grease. Blueberries stirred into pancake batter, as many as you wish, are excellent.—Mrs. Davidson.
TIMBALES.—One fourth cup flour, one half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one egg (beaten), one tablespoon olive oil or butter. Mix the dry parts together and add milk, egg and olive oil. Strain through sieve. Dip hot tambale iron into the grease then into the batter then into the hot grease to cook. Drain and use as pastry shells for creamed peas, chicken, mushroom or oysters.
WITH BEER.—Timbales are very tender and nice made with stale beer or ale. Let one half pint of beer stand in an open dish over night. Omit the sugar and milk and mix flour with the beer, following other directions as given above.—Contributed.
MRS. ALLEMAN’S APPLE FRITTERS.—One cup flour, one teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt, and yolk of two eggs beaten light, with cup of milk. Grate in three medium sized apples, beat well and fold in stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. Drop by spoonful into hot fat and fry until nicely browned. Drain on brown paper and serve with maple syrup. For corn fritters use one cup of canned corn in place of apples.—Contributed.
POP OVERS.—Two cups flour, two cups sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoon sugar, one quarter teaspoon salt. Beat well together. Put in hot gem tins and bake in hot oven.—Contributed.
PAN CAKES.—One cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon of baking powder, one half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of sugar, add enough milk to wet it, then beat in one egg thoroughly, add three teaspoons of melted butter and then thin to a smooth batter with milk, beat thoroughly and bake on a well greased, hot griddle.—Mrs. A. McKay.
JENNY LIND PANCAKE.—Two eggs, pinch of salt, tablespoonful sugar, small cup of flour, one cup of milk, one half teaspoon baking powder. Bake in an omelette pan, put jelly on top, roll and sprinkle with powdered sugar.—Mrs. Lynch.
DATE MUFFINS.—Beat the yolks of two eggs until light. Add one cupful of milk. Sift together one and a half cupfuls of entire wheat flour, one and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one quarter teaspoon of salt. Add the milk and eggs and a tablespoonful of melted butter, and give the batter a good beating. Now add half a cup of dates chopped coarsely and floured, and last of all add the stiffly beaten whites. Mix. Fill gem pans two thirds full and bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. These are excellent.