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New England Spider Corn Bread

A historical recipe from War-Time Breads and Cakes, by Handy, Amy L. (Amy Littlefield) (1918).

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A historical recipe

War-Time Breads and Cakes, by Handy, Amy L. (Amy Littlefield) (1918). Project Gutenberg eBook #58621.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 7 ingredients

  1. one and one quarter cups of granulated corn meal
  2. one teaspoonful of soda
  3. one teaspoonful of salt
  4. two cups of sour milk
  5. two tablespoonfuls of shortening
  6. one cupful of cold sweet milk
  7. two well-beaten eggs

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Take one and one quarter cups of granulated corn meal, one teaspoonful of soda, and one teaspoonful of salt.
  2. Sift together and add two well-beaten eggs and two cups of sour milk or buttermilk.
  3. Put two tablespoonfuls of shortening in an iron frying-pan and set it on the top of the stove to melt.
  4. When hot pour in the corn mixture and set the pan back on the stove.
  5. Pour over it gently without mixing one cupful of cold sweet milk.
  6. Bake on the middle grate of the oven for about half an hour.
  7. It will be creamy when done.
  8. Run a knife round the edge of the frying-pan to loosen the cake and turn it over on to a cover.
  9. Put a large plate over it and reverse it and the cake is right side up and unbroken.
  10. Do not cut it till it is on the table.
  11. It must be eaten hot.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Frying pan
  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Grater
  • Spatula
  • Sieve
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From War-Time Breads and Cakes, by Handy, Amy L. (Amy Littlefield) (1918). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #58621 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58621). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.