Me Me’s Hoe Cakes

Recipe from Hazel Cooksey (Alice’s Grandmother) and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When I was growing up, there wasn’t a meal that went by at my grandmother's where we didn’t have come kind of corn bread at the table to eat. This is my absolute favorite kind. I even like them leftover cold. Because the cakes (they look like pancakes) are fried in bacon grease, I wouldn’t serve this but a couple of times a year, but oh, baby! are they worth the wait. My grandfather said they were called Hoe Cakes because people used to cook ‘em on a hoe. Hmmmmm. When I cook bacon, I do so outside on the porch in an electric skillet. That way our house doesn’t smell of bacon. I keep the grease either in the fridge or in the freezer. I usually cook several pounds of bacon at a time and then freeze it. It reheats beautifully in the microwave. Hoe cakes are especially good with soup or stew.

¾ cup white cornmeal
¼ heaping teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
¾ cup buttermilk
Bacon grease for frying

Melt bacon grease in an iron skillet until hot. (Put in just enough grease to coat the bottom of the skillet.) In mixing bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Allow the batter to “set” for about 10 minutes or so. (The hoe cakes puff up better if the batter gets a rest before cooking.) Pour about 1/8 cup batter in hot grease per hoe cake. Flip hoe cakes over with a spatula when underside is brown. (Add bacon grease as needed to keep the skillet coated.) I usually double this recipe because they go quick! Serve with lots of butter!