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Early Texans relied on corn for cakes, livestock

by Delbert Trew
Delbert Trew

To the early Texas settlers, raising corn was a matter of life or death. Survival often depended on how much corn you raised for food or sale. They selected only the best grain for seed, guarded it like treasure and prayed for it to mature at harvest.

A second use was almost as important as corn was a good feed for livestock, especially the work horses and mules pulling the plows.

After planting three grains of corn to a hill, they watched carefully as the plants grew.

They taught children to check each hill, pull out the suckers or weaker plants leaving only the most vigorous stalks to grow.

Everyone looked forward to fresh roasting ears as the crop neared maturity. Some waited for the tassel at the top to dry then cut the stalk off just above the highest ear and fed these tops to their cattle or horses.

When the ear matured past the tender roasting ear stage, it was allowed to mature to be picked, shucked, shelled and stored to be eventually ground into corn meal. Corn shucks were used in crude mattresses and corn cobs used to caulk between logs in buildings and burn for heat.

Corn meal could be mixed with water and salt and cooked in many ways. If working out on the prairie, small balls of cornmeal dough could be dropped into the ashes of a campfire and cooked. When done, the ashes were brushed off and eaten as "ash cake."

If working out in the fields, the small balls of dough could be baked on a garden hoe and eaten as "hoe cake."

If placed in a greased skillet and cooked, it was called "johnny cake."

If baked in a Dutch oven, it was called "corn pone or corn dodgers."

If sugar, eggs or milk was added to the dough, it was called "fancy cake."

Corn could be boiled in a mild lye solution to loosen the hard outside skin of the kernel and washed to become hominy, used as a side dish to meals.

If the hominy was ground and cooked it became "grits" which was a Southern breakfast delicacy.

Black-eyed peas or cow peas were another important crop for settlers. Like corn, peas were for both people and livestock. Dried cow pea pods were gathered into gunny sacks and hung in root cellars.

When needed, the sacks were laid on the ground for children to romp on while playing. The sack contents were then winded, separating chaff from peas and cooked for a side dish with bits of pork.

Another important crop was gourds. Though not edible, the wild crop grew into many shapes and sizes and could be trained in shape as they grew.

They made dippers, ladles, spoons, bowls, dishes and storage containers. When the gourd dried, it was picked, a hole cut somewhere, filled with sugar water for a few minutes and laid beside a red ant den.

The critters would clean the insides in a short time allowing for further use.

When completely dried, lids or stoppers were made with melted wax for sealing, handles or strings attached for hanging, outsides painted for whatever use you might desire. It was almost like hosting a modern-day Tupperware party.


© Delbert Trew
"It's All Trew"
November 23, 2010 column
Delbert Trew is a freelance writer and retired rancher. He can be reached at 806-779-3164, by mail at Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or by e-mail at trewblue@centramedia.net. For books see DelbertTrew.com. His column appears weekly.

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This page last modified: November 23, 2010