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The origin of the name, Johnny Cake, is in dispute. Possibly Johnny Cake is a corruption of Shawnee Cake, a flat bread made with cornmeal, salt, and water, that the Shawnee Indians taught the earliest settlers how to make or Journey Cake because it was easily prepared for travelers. The simple fare could be prepared before the day’s journey began and served to feed the hungry travelers during the day when there was no time to stop, build a fire, and cook. It could be cooked over the ashes of a campfire, on hot stones, on a griddle, in a cast iron skillet, or in the oven. This bread is most often called cornbread today. A Sourdough Starter is a leaven that develops from microscopic wild yeast and bacteria present in the air. Its usual form is a batter. Bakers who were far from yeast supplies used Sourdough to raise bread, biscuits, & pancakes. Sourdough has a distinctive tart flavor and chewy texture. Making a starter is very tricky and may take several attempts. Pioneers treasured their starters because of this. Here are two recipes you can make using ingredients commonly found today.
Put the first three ingredients in a large glass jar. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Let mixture sit uncovered for 5 or 6 days until it bubbles and smells sour, stirring mixture each day. Now it is ready to use. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and stir until lumpy. Let the combined mixture sit out at least ten hours. Remove 1 cup to be your next sourdough starter and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Use the remainder of the Sourdough Starter in a recipe of your choice that calls for a Sourdough Starter. Last modified on May 14, 2008 |
Johnny Cakes & Sourdough