Hoecakes
Justin Cherry, a foodways historian, chef and resident baker at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, developed this recipe for hoecakes (cornmeal pancakes) using archival sources that describe the first president’s fondness for the dish. Corn was a cash crop at Mount Vernon, and the estate had a successful mill that could process up to 8,000 pounds of flour and cornmeal in one day. Hoecakes were so esteemed by Washington that Hercules Posey and the other enslaved chefs likely made them daily. Given the president’s dental issues and wealth, the cornmeal used for his hoecakes was probably a finer, higher-quality grind than the coarser meal given to his enslaved community as weekly rations. This recipe, created by Mr. Cherry, uses stone-ground cornmeal, and produces a pronounced corn flavor. It’s important to make sure your butter is hot so the hoecakes crisp nicely while their interiors remain moist, retaining an almost creamy texture. George Washington ate these cornmeal cakes “swimming” in butter and honey, but maple syrup works well, too.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 10 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓cups fine or stone-ground white or yellow cornmeal
- 2cups/480 milliliters warm water
- ½teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2teaspoons salt
- About 1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- Honey, for serving
Instructions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal and warm water. Whisk well into a thick batter. Let rest for 10 minutes.Step 2
Sprinkle the yeast over the cornmeal mixture and whisk well. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.Step 3
Add the salt to the mixture and stir very well. Allow to sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 1½ to 2 hours. The batter will rise and puff at the center.Step 4
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, then whisk it into the batter until well combined.Step 5
Heat a large cast-iron pan or griddle on the stovetop over medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, use a flexible spatula or brush to spread it around the pan’s surface.Step 6
Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop out the batter onto the pan. Cook the hoecakes in batches, leaving about 2 inches surrounding each hoecake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, adding 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan before turning the cakes to cook on the other side. (The cakes will become firmer once they are cooked.) Repeat until you’ve cooked off all the batter.Step 7
To serve, spread the hoecakes with softened butter and drizzle with honey to taste.