Welcome, Charles Suddeth.
Charles is going to tell us not only about his new release but also share with us some genuine Cherokee recipes.
Cherokee johnny cakes and all
While I am not a cook, I have learned to make cornbread that is not available commercially, like I grew up on. White cornmeal is typical, but the results with yellow cornmeal should not differ. Many Cherokees omit salt, because it makes the cornbread crumbly, but feel free to add a pinch of salt to these recipes.
Ashcakes
These were for emergencies, when you had to eat quickly without dishes.
Ingredients:
Water
Cornmeal
Add enough water to the cornmeal so that it does not stick to your hands. Form into patties that can fit into the palm of your hand. Do NOT put on live coals. Put the patties on top of white ashes (gray ashes are too cool) and turn over after 3 or 4 minutes-cook 3 or 4 minutes on the other side. Pull out of the ashes and enjoy.
Hoecakes
 |
| Lace Hoecake Cornbread |
These were ideal for a campfire. They were cooked on either a flat rock or flat metal like a griddle (hoe in England can mean griddle)
Ingredients:
Boiling water
Cornmeal
Add water to make a thick batter. Let sit for 10 minutes. Coat griddle or rock with lard or bacon grease. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until light golden-brown.
Johnnycakes
Nowadays, most call Johnnycakes Fried Cornbread. Add a pinch of sugar, and some call them cornmeal pancakes. Johnnycakes were something for the cabin, when you had time to enjoy them.
Ingredients:
Boiling water
Cornmeal
Baking powder
Add water to cornmeal and pinch of baking powder to make a batter. Let sit for 10 minutes. Fry in a cast-iron skillet with bacon grease/drippings. Fry until golden-brown.
Bean Bread Tuya gadu ᏚᏯ ᎦᏚ
This recipe originally calls for corn cooked in wood ashes (lime water) to remove the hulls—then ground into flour. Nowadays you can buy masa harina—the same thing. Results are more like a dumpling than bread.
Ingredients:
3 cups masa harina
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup bacon grease
1 cup cooked beans (pinto beans are traditional—others will work)
2 cups water the beans cooked in (bean pot liquor)
Dried cornhusks (or hickory leaves)
Mix masa harina and bacon grease together first. Then add other ingredients. Form into patties and wrap in cornhusks. Steam covered for 45 minutes/when cornhusk pulls away cleanly.
Can also be boiled. Minus the cornhusks, it can be baked or fried.
Charles Suddeth has published poetry, picture books, middle reader’s books, young adult thrillers, and adult mysteries in English, Cherokee, and Turkish. He is active with Green River Writers and leads a monthly SCBWI Social. He lives in Louisville and teaches for the Jefferson County Schools.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/CharlesSuddeth
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/chucksuddeth/
Driven to Stone Man’s trail...
After U.S. soldiers attack twelve-year-old Tsatsi’s Cherokee village, his family flees to the Smokey Mountains. Facing storms, flood, and hunger, they’re forced to go where Stone Man, a monstrous giant, is rumored to live.
His family seeks shelter in an abandoned village, but soldiers hunt them down. Tsatsi and his sister Sali escape, but Sali falls ill and is kidnapped by Stone Man. Tsatsi gives chase and confronts the giant, only to learn this monster isn’t what he seems.
Their journey is a dangerous one. Will Tsatsi find the strength to become a Cherokee warrior? And will they ever find their family?
Print ISBN 9781939844620
EBook ISBN 9781939844651
Release date – October 8, 2019
Find Stone Man: And the Trail of Tears at:
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130849102?ean=9781939844620
43 comments:
The cakes sound interesting but I bet they are rather bland, nevertheless filling. I misread Hoecakes in my first skim read.
Sounds like a great story, and thanks for sharing the recipes, nice to see something different. Hugs, Valerie
Congratulation to Charles.
Cornbread is something I have read about, but not tried.
Sounds like they worked with what they had. Congrats.
Talk about some simple meals. I'm not too sure about ash all over my food though.
Thank you for featuring Charles and his new book.
Such fascinating recipes. Always enjoy trying new things, and thank you so much! RO
Grape dumplings are a staple too.
Heh. Yes, I imagine so. Spices were probably a luxury if on the trail.
It does sound like an interesting storyline doesn't it, Val? I loved that Charles shared recipes.
Oh, EC, you have to have sweet cornbread and navy beans. So many carbs, so little time:)
Best of luck, Charles! This sounds like a great story.
Thanx for sharing the recipes Charles; they sound great ! All the best on your new book !!
It sure does, Pat.
Heh. I hear ya on the ash.
You are most welcome. It is entirely my pleasure. Wishing him much success with his wonderful book.
They are great recipes, aren't they, Ro?
I did not know that, Donna. Thanks for sharing.
It does indeed.
They do sound great, don't they, FSG?
Thanks for the recipes. I might just have to make them, without you even having to twist my arm!!! :)
It's cool what all can be made with just corn and water. Thanks for the recipes! And the story sounds trippy!
Hi Andrew,
Bland alone yes. Nowadays in bean soup etc. My grandpa covered johnnycakes with bacon grease and sorghum.
Pat, thanks for the reply. It is also what you get used to. People in the 18th century were not used to sweet food like nowadays.
My sister makes blackberry dumping using a similar recipe.
Elizabeth, thank you for visiting and the well-wishes.
You are very welcome on the recipes. Thanks for visiting.
Good luck to Charles on the new release, thanks for sharing these interesting recipes!
Lee, thanks for replying. I live alone--wife deceased--i seldom get a chance to try them out myself. Would love to cook them.
Hi Sonya, I am no chef but the Cherokees taught me 3 things: let the batter sit a few minutes, hot water, and no salt. The fancy ingredients aren't needed. Greta to hear from you.
Hi Christine, good to hear from you. I am glad the recipes interest you.
I would be willing to try these cakes but unsure about the patties right on the ash. Doesn’t the ash bake right into the cake? The book sounds like a very good read and not just a western
I like the no salt approach. There's sooo much salt in our foods these days!
Hello, Charles. Wow -- this sounds quite fascinating and very interesting indeed!
Thanks for sharing the recipes, it's always good to see something that is a little different …
All the best Jan
Birigit, I have never cooked ashcakes--it is more for campers. The trick is said to be using white-hot ashes and moist patties to avoid ashes in your ashcakes. These were more emergency--during war or hunting. I would love to try them.
Sonya, the Cherokees don't use salt because salt makes johnnycakes crumbly. The health is a bonus.
H Jeanie, good to hear from you. I am happy it interests you.
Hi Jan, good to hear from you. I learned these recipes for 2 reasons: to recreate my grandma's cooking and I got tired of restaurant cornbread that tastes like cake.
Hi Sandra,Thanks for hosting me. I am not a chef, but I do love sharing what I do know. It was a lot of fun.
Loved having you, Charles. It was a fun post. Wishing you much success.
Sounds pretty darn good. I bet it's best read with the Hoecakes inhand.
I will have to try these. Get my gr-daughters to help.
We knew a family whose father was Navajo. They ate these, and also fried cakes.
Hi Susan,
I am sure other tribes have similar recipes. I recall being at a powwow and trying Apache soup. I didn't know what was in it,but it was good. Nice to hear from you.
Looks like a great story! Congrats! Thanks for the recipe!!!
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