Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I know this is a trivial matter, but what exactly are Johnny cakes? Are they sweet or savoury?

They are like pancakes made with cornmeal instead of flour. They are almost corn-bready. LOL. Very good. Sometimes called Ho-cakes too, because cowboys use to cook them on the end of their ho's-the spade part over the camp-fire.

I have been wanting to try a batch of Johnny Cakes for some time now. Until a few years ago I thought they were a pan cake.

Jcurrie, it's the mutton you have to worry about.


-1bigsteve (o:

OLD FASHIONED JOHNNY CAKES

1 egg
2 c. white or yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c. milk

Beat 1 egg. Stir in 2 cups white or yellow corn meal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups milk (to make batter thick). Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a well-greased hot griddle and fry to a golden brown on each side. Stir batter occasionally to keep well mixed. Serve hot with butter.


MMMMM> Enjoy!

While at the store yesterday, and realizing the significance of today's date, I bought some cookies and some pears.

At 9:00 this morning I had a cookie for breakfast.

At around 11:00 I sat down with three pears. They weren't quite ripe and I really had to force the third one down!

Hey cfking, thanks for the recipe! I'm going camping in a few weeks and that will be perfect to cook over the fire!

KAE @ Tue Aug 04, 2009 3:50 pm wrote:While at the store yesterday, and realizing the significance of today's date, I bought some cookies and some pears.

At 9:00 this morning I had a cookie for breakfast.

At around 11:00 I sat down with three pears. They weren't quite ripe and I really had to force the third one down!

Hey cfking, thanks for the recipe! I'm going camping in a few weeks and that will be perfect to cook over the fire!

I had a banana and a pear for breakfast today. Forgot the cookie.

Has anyone ever identified what kind of cookie?

Wordweaver @ Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:11 am wrote:
I had a banana and a pear for breakfast today. Forgot the cookie.

Has anyone ever identified what kind of cookie?

And I forgot the banana.

Lizzie, from the inquest:

page 58(15)

Q. Did you get your breakfast that morning?
A. I did not eat any breakfast; I did not feel as though I wanted any.
Q. Did you get any breakfast that morning?

Page 59(16)

A. I don't know whether I ate half a banana; I don't think I did.
Q. You drank no tea or coffee that morning?
A. No sir.
Q. And ate no cookies?
A. I don't know whether I did or not. We had some molasses cookies; I don't know whether I ate any that morning or not.

There's more testimony - but she's never sure if she eats the banana or cookie.

Thanks for the recipe, CFking. I must try them some time, although I'm not sure I can buy cornmeal in England.

1wordweaver, I can't think of anything more unpalatable than mutton broth for breakfast. If you remember the movie with Elizabeth Montgomery, it looked absolutely disgusting. I think that was the source of the food poisoning.

Thanks for the recipe, Christopher. I have always wondered what Johnny Cakes were made of. So, they are served with butter; now, that has really spiked my interest - I love butter!!!

If the ones I have eaten at several otherwise wonderful breakfasts at the house were at all typical, I say don't bother. They're kind of coarse and not very flavorful. As I said in my account of my first stay, give me buttermilk pancakes any day. However, I suppose anyone with any interest in the case would want to try them at least once. I'm glad they skipped the mutton broth, though. (Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever eaten mutton. Plenty of lamb, but never mutton.)

Yes you are correct Constantine that johnny cakes are usually pretty heavy and blah. Not like our modern cornbread much, which I do love!

However, everthing cooked by Dave or his Mrs. served at the Borden House breakfast has been absolutely wonderful, as far as I'm concerned! Yum!

I've heard they were originally called journey cakes and somehow ended up being called johnny cakes.

In the South, we call them "hoecakes," as they were originally cooked on the back of a hoe over an open fire-- something quick and easy that people on the go or in the fields could prepare.
If you've got a quarter-inch of hot oil (ideally, 350 degrees F) in your skillet, these are greasy and good: try cooking in olive oil.
If your skillet's just greased, serve with butter.
They're considered a quick way to prepare cornbread in the South, without putting a pan in the oven. Delicious with turnip greens or collard greens, but a bit heavy for breakfast-- not as light as the pancakes to which we've become accustomed.
Hello, SummerCodSuz!

My understanding is that corn meal is called maize meal or polenta in England--usually found in health food shops.

Gray's Grist Mill on Adamsville Road in Westport still grinds and sells traditional New England corn meal.

Does anyone local know if the Old Grist Mill Tavern in Seekonk still serves jonnycakes with their meals?

I have blue cornmeal. I may try that. I can use agave nectar, and butter on them. I love any kind of pancake except bleached white, overly sweet.
I may toss in some pecan meal, and flaxseed. Will the Borden family be miffed ?

I could hold out for Halloween.