white sand, blue sea

johnnycakes.jpg

I picked up some organic cornmeal at the super market the other day, with a basic plan to make cornmeal pancakes for breakfast this morning. However, as usual I went shopping without a recipe on hand. Looking at various recipes online, they all called for baking powder, to create the more cake-like pancakes that I’m used to.

So as an alternative I turned to recipes for the more humble johnny-cake. The selection online ranged from the absurdly simple (cornmeal, salt + boiling water) to elaborate cornbread like varieties. I finally settled on a recipe with ingredients that I already had in the pantry. (The ongoing frustration of living in a country where the supermarkets are closed on Sundays. If I don’t have it, I don’t have it, no last minute dashes to the grocery store for a missing ingredient…)

• 1/2 cup flour • 1 cup cornmeal • 1 to 2 teaspoons honey • 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1 cup hot milk

Mix the dry ingredients, then stir in the remaining ingredients. I let the mixture cool a little before adding the eggs, so that they wouldn’t scramble in the batter. Drop or pour on the hot, greased griddle or drop in iron skillet and fry to golden brown on both sides. I ate these this morning drizzled with honey, but they tasted better cold and slathered in butter for lunch later on.