Hoe cakes are small cakes made with cornmeal, originating from Native American communities. They are easy to make and can be served with sweet or savory foods. Traditional recipes include cornmeal, salt, and water, but other ingredients can be added for texture and flavor. Hoe cakes were historically made on hot stones or on the blade of a hoe in the fields. They can be eaten with toppings like fruit and syrup or served with savory dishes. Recipes can be found online, with variations depending on personal preference.
Hoe cakes are small cakes or breads made with cornmeal. They are often associated with the Southern United States, where hoe cakes are served with a variety of sweet and savory foods, though their origins are actually found in Native American communities, along with many other corn-based foods. Hoe cakes are very easy to make, with a number of different recipes in use.
Also known as ash pies, johnny pies, or shawnee pies, hoe pies are traditionally made with cornmeal, salt, and water. The ingredients are mixed into a thick slurry which is cooked on a griddle in oil. However, many recipes also include milk, yogurt or other dairy products, and sometimes baking powder and eggs are added to give hoe cakes more loft and texture, turning them more cakey and less already. Some cooks also blend it with wheat flour or other types of flour, although other cooks consider this a gross adulteration of the traditional recipe.
Historically, hoe cakes were made by shaping the batter into pats on hot stones by the fire, explaining the name “ash cake,” as they were often cinerea. Hoe cakes could easily be made and taken on the run, which made them popular with travelers and hunters. Southern cooks presumably adopted the technique of cooking these breads on the blade of a hoe in the fields, allowing them to heat up a quick meal during lunch breaks. Today cooks prepare hoe cakes in the pan, on the griddle and sometimes in the oven, depending on their preferences and the recipe used.
Treats, as they are also known, are often treated as a kind of pancake. Hoe cakes can certainly be eaten like pancakes, with toppings like fruit and syrup, and cooks sometimes stir fresh fruit into the batter. However, they can also be eaten with savory ingredients and are not unique to Southern cooking. For example, someone might serve an Indian curry with hoe cakes as a side.
People interested in making this traditional food can find a number of recipes on the internet. Some cooks have strong feelings about what does and doesn’t belong in a hoe pie, and it may be wise to experiment with different recipes to find a version that’s fun. For example, some cooks like the traditional recipe very plain and simple, while others find the basic recipe bland and dull and may prefer recipes with additional ingredients that add texture and flavor.
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