Mrs. Wilson's Cook Book Part 6

One cupful cornmeal, One cupful flour, One teaspoonful salt, Three level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, Two tablespoonfuls of syrup, One tablespoonful shortening, One egg, One and one-quarter cups of milk.

Beat hard to mix and then bake on a hot griddle.

GRIDDLE CAKES

To bring the true nut flavor from the buckwheat we must go back to old-fas.h.i.+oned method of setting the buckwheat to rise overnight. Don't you remember the brownstone crock that was kept in the pantry and each time it was left with just enough of the mixture to start a new batter? The buckwheat would be prepared each night just before bedtime, and in the morning a cup of warm water was added, together with a couple of tablespoonfuls of syrup. The mixture was beaten and then the griddle was put on to heat. Sometimes it was a soapstone or a heavy iron griddle. When well heated it was rubbed with a piece of cut turnip or potato. The batter was poured on in large platter-sized cakes and then as quickly as they browned they were dexteriously turned to brown again.

To make perfect buckwheat cakes you must first of all obtain a stone-ground flour, and then it must be blended in proportion. Good, lively yeast is added, and if milk is used for the mixing it must be scalded and then cooled before using. To prepare the flour for the mixing:

Three pounds of buckwheat flour, One and one-half pounds of wheat flour, One pound of corn flour, One ounce of salt, One-half ounce of baking soda.

Sift twice to thoroughly mix and then place in a dry container and the flour is then ready to use.

BUCKWHEAT CAKES

Scald and then rinse out with cold water a large stone crock. Pour in one cupful of scalded and cooled milk and

One and one-half cupfuls of water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Two tablespoonfuls of sugar.

Crumble in one-half of an yeast cake and stir until dissolved, then add three cupfuls of the prepared buckwheat flour. Beat to thoroughly mix and then cover and set aside overnight to rise. In the morning add sufficient lukewarm water to bring the mixture to a pouring consistency. This usually requires about one cupful. Add two tablespoonfuls of syrup. Beat hard for three minutes and then let stand in a warm place while the griddle is heating, then bake.

RICE GRIDDLE CAKES

Rice griddle cakes may be prepared as follows: Wash one-half cup of rice in plenty of water and then place in a saucepan and add three cupfuls of water. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Let cool. Now place in a crock

Two and one-half cupfuls water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Two tablespoonfuls sugar, One-half yeast cake.

Stir until dissolved and then add

The prepared rice, Three cupfuls white flour, One-quarter teaspoonful baking soda.

Beat to mix and then cover and set aside to rise overnight. In the morning add sufficient lukewarm water to make a pouring batter, adding two tablespoonfuls of syrup and one teaspoonful of salt. Beat very hard and then set in a warm place while the griddle is heating.

The use of a small amount of baking soda as given in above recipes is for the purpose of neutralizing the slightly acid flavor of the buckwheat--a flavor to which many folks object.

Either of above mixes may be baked in a waffle iron instead of using the griddle. Try it some morning for the sake of variety. Use salad oil in a new sewing-machine oil can to grease waffle iron.

Almost everyone loves good sweet b.u.t.ter on the hot cakes in the morning. At the present prices of b.u.t.ter the frugal housewife looks upon the fast disappearing pat of b.u.t.ter with alarm. Now try this and save the b.u.t.ter and yet give the folks the b.u.t.ter flavor upon their cakes; place two tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter in a pitcher which will hold a cupful of syrup. Add the syrup and then place the pitcher in a pan of warm water and set on the stove to heat. Beat constantly until the b.u.t.ter melts and produces a creamy mix.

Stale bread may be crumbled or soaked in cold water pressed dry and used in place of rice or cornmeal. So may oatmeal or other leftover breakfast cereals, as well as mashed potatoes, be used. Reserve about one cupful of the yeast batter to start the next batter. Use this starter in place of the yeast. Renew the yeast mix every fifth morning.

A word about the griddle may not come amiss. The old-fas.h.i.+oned iron or soapstone may be used and will give good results. Aluminum griddles do not require greasing.

BREAD GRIDDLE CAKES

Try these cakes some morning when the folks are tired of the usual breakfast dishes. Place in a pitcher overnight

Two cups of b.u.t.termilk or sour milk, One cup of water, Two cups of bread crumbs.

Let stand in the kitchen in a cool place. Do not put in the icebox. In the morning add

One teaspoonful baking soda

dissolved in

Three tablespoonfuls of water.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then add

Two tablespoonfuls syrup, Two tablespoonfuls shortening, One teaspoonful salt, One and one-half cups flour, Two teaspoonfuls baking powder.

Beat hard to mix and then bake on a hot griddle.

CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

Scald one cup of cornmeal with two cups of boiling water, and then let cool. Now add

One and one-half cupfuls water, 80 degrees Fahrenheit, Three tablespoonfuls of syrup, One teaspoonful of salt, One-quarter yeast cake, Two cupfuls flour, One-quarter teaspoonful baking soda.

Beat hard and then let rise overnight; then prepare as for buckwheat cakes.

Modern methods have eliminated the yeast and subst.i.tuted baking powder, thus making a quicker mix. To prepare buckwheat cakes with baking powder, prepare a blend of flour as follows:

Two pounds of buckwheat, One pound of wheat flour, One cupful cornmeal, One ounce of salt, Three ounces of baking powder, One-quarter ounce baking soda.

Sift three times to mix and then place in a dry container and use as required.

HOW TO BAKE THE PANCAKE

Use a frying-pan that is perfectly flat; the iron ones are best, as they hold the heat longer and can be regulated so that the cake will not burn.

PANCAKES FOR TWO

Yolk of one egg, Two tablespoonfuls sugar or syrup, One cupful milk, One tablespoonful shortening, One teaspoonful salt, One teaspoonful vanilla or nutmeg, One and one-quarter cupfuls flour, Two level teaspoonfuls baking powder.

Place in a bowl. Beat with a Dover egg-beater to thoroughly mix and then fold in the stiffly beaten white of egg. Pour the mixture into a pitcher and then place two tablespoonfuls of shortening in a frying pan. When smoking hot pour in just sufficient batter to cover the bottom of the pan. When it begins to bubble turn the cake over and bake on the other side. Lift and spread lightly with jelly or roll, or use the following mixture:

Three tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter, One-half cupful of x.x.xX sugar,

Cream well, and then add