Recipe: Indian Hoecakes

  Celebrate Presidents' Day by making George Washington's favorite breakfast.                  

George Washington's Indian Hoecakes

1 package of Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
2 Tbsp. shortening, melted
3/4 cup milk

Preheat griddle (we don't recommend a hoe!). Grease lightly. Blend ingredients. Batter will be slightly lumpy. Cook on hot griddle, turning when bubbles appear and edges appear to dry.  Add syrup before eating.

Mary Kline   

Making Hoecakes with "Button". [aka Mary Byrne Kline]
Rachel Faith, Evyn and Tyler Kline

From Mount Vernon's Website:
General Washington's typical breakfast has been described by members of his immediate family and several guests. His step-granddaughter, Nelly Custis Lewis, who was raised at Mount Vernon, wrote "He rose before sunrise, always wrote or read until 7 in summer or half past seven in winter. His breakfast was then ready – he ate three small mush cakes (Indian meal) swimming in butter and honey, and drank three cups of tea without cream."  She described the recipe in a letter as: "The bread business is as follows if you wish to make 2 1/2 quarts of flour up-take at night one quart of flour, five table spoonfuls of yeast & as much lukewarm water as will make it the consistency of pancake batter, mix it in a large stone pot & set it near a warm hearth (or a moderate fire) make it at candlelight & let it remain until the next morning then add the remaining quart & a half by degrees with a spoon when well mixed let it stand 15 or 20 minutes & then bake it – of this dough in the morning, beat up a white & half of the yolk of an egg – add as much lukewarm water as will make it like pancake batter, drop a spoonful at a time on a hoe or griddle (as we say in the south). When done on one side turn the other – the griddle must be rubbed in the first instance with a piece of beef suet or the fat of cold corned beef ..."