Hush Now Puppy: Southern Cuisine Part 1

Continuing in the good things about the South vein, BaT turns its focus to food (Ed: As if your focus is ever anywhere else. BaT: Shut up. I'm bowing to public opinion -- all two of them.) In the second post on music, Lady T, when asked what should the next topic be, said:

"Naturally, my vote is for literature but would like to know more about the food -- around here Hush Puppies are considered footwear :)"

BaT cannot allow such culture ignorance to stand. I naturally assumed that everyone has eaten a hushpuppy at some point in his or her life (or 10 or 20). After all, this born-and-raised Southerner has eaten such diverse foods as perogies (not bad, although I'm not a big fan of kraut, but I've never met an unfriendly Pole), moo goo gai pan (although the name and those little baby corn give me the creeps) and cannoli (cheese + chocolate = how bad can it be?). So why haven't these delicious fried nuggets been embraced by the nation as a whole?

It must be the name. People think they are eating young dogs. Hey, this is not Korean food! (Not that there's anything wrong with that. I have a large Asian readership. That guy in Singapore visits almost daily -- yet never comments.)

In reality, no dogs are harmed in making hushpuppies, except for maybe the ones hit by flying grease when begging for the tasty tidbits that they inspired. There are actually two stories about the origins of hushpuppies. One dates back to the early 1700s, when French nuns in New Orleans made what they called "croquettes de maise," or corn croquettes.

But how the name "hushpuppy" came about is a matter of debate. There are numerous old wives' tales about this, so I'll stick to the one my grandmother told me:

Back during the American Civil War (i.e., War Between the States; i.e., War of Northern Aggression), Confederate soldiers would often cook just-caught fish over an open fire. (This supplied the grease.) They also would cook cornmeal cakes in the pan. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to adopt a stray dog, and this little yappers would bark quite excitedly at the smell of food. As not to give away their positions to enemy (i.e. Yankee invaders), the soldiers would break apart bits of the cornmeal cakes and toss them toward the dog with the command: "Hush, now, puppy."

We are a clever bunch.

But what exactly is a hushpuppy?

"Hushpuppies or Hush puppies are a small cornmeal pastry that is deep fried in a circular or oblong shape. The usual ingredients include cornmeal, flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk, and water, and can include onions and pepper. Sometimes. pancake batter is also used. The batter is mixed well, adjusting ingredients until it is suitably thick. Then the batter is dropped into hot oil (such as vegetable oil). You will know the oil is hot enough when the hushpuppy floats to the surface. It should be fried until golden brown, and then set on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil before it is consumed."

We don't eat hushpuppies with just anything. Typically, there are two acceptable times to serve hushpuppies: with fried fish or seafood (preferably catfish) or with barbecue. If you served hushpuppies with steak or a pork chop, people would look at you like you were, well, a Yankee.

Sorry, I don't have a recipe for hushpuppies. I never make them, as I hate to fry food. (Ed: You sure love to eat it. BaT: I didn't say I didn't like to eat it. I said I didn't like to fry it.) But this one sounds about right. Some people add corn or peppers; some people do not add onions. I'm pro-onion and anti-corn.

Oh, and one more thing, the hushpuppy itself is not always enough. When they are served as an appetizer, people often squirt ketchup on them, add a touch of honey or dab a little butter on top before eating. I'm a ketchup or butter man myself. I save the honey-hushpuppy combination for dessert. ;-)

I hope that helps the poor, uneducated non-hushpuppy eaters out there. Next time: What the h*ll is a grit?