Bright's Inn Hoe Cakes

You need a little history with this wonderful little morsels of joy. Hoe cakes date back to the pioneer days. This recipe is from Bright's Inn, built in 1815 by Captain John Bright. Located a little over a mile from Stanford, Kentucky, in Lincoln County on the Wilderness Road. Bright's Inn was a stage coach stop where weary travelers could find rest and excellent food. A meal was 25 cents, with whiskey free. The likes of Isaac Shelby, George Rogers Clark, and Henry Clay were among the many guests of the inn.

Hoe cakes, cooked over hot coals in the fireplace, were one of the specialties of Bright's Inn. They are wonderful with roast beef or turkey and gravy. My personal favorite is to serve them with a big pot of bean soup.

Since we are talking about Derby Parties we are going to make them a little bit small to use as a base for your Derby Spread. Form them into 1-inch balls instead of the normal 2-inch balls.

Bright's Inn Hoe Cakes
yield- depends on the size
print recipe

2 cups coarse-ground (grist) cornmeal
3/4 cup cold water
milk

Mix meal and water and let stand until water is absorbed. Thin with enough milk for easy handing. Form into 2-inch balls,1-inch is using for appetizers, in hand, flatten with fingers to a thickness of about 1/4-inch, and bake in a little grease (bacon grease is good) on a hot griddle until brown on both sides. Serve with butter or gravy or Derby Spread.