Living 2 Eat |

“Hush Puppies”

The “hush puppy” is a traditional part of the fish fry in the South where this little corn pone initiated. The story has it that when it was announced that there was to be a fish fry down in the woods, everybody showed up, and by “everybody” we mean the dogs too. Well, the gaiety of the occasion made the dogs bark and they got in the way of the busy cooks, so, to quiet the howling confusion, someone discovered that something to eat worked. And so, a barking dog was tossed a little corn pone with the admonition to “hush, puppy.” And he did.    As per Paulette Kenyon.

Diane Barber Moss’ Hush Puppies

3/4 cup white cornmeal

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour

* water

 Mix dry ingredients together.   Stir in milk, onion and water (* use enough water to make batter too thick to pour, but not thick enough to pick up with fingers).    Mix well.

Turn cooker on medium-high heat. When it is boiling hot carefully drop hush puppy batter in the oil using a tablespoon. Allow hushpuppies to brown on all sides. They should begin floating when done, but if they don’t, do NOT overcook them.  Let them drain a minute on a piece of paper (brown paper sacks from the grocery store works best!) before serving, but serve hot.