A most succulent and nutritious vegetable. In its green state it is generally boiled for about twenty minutes in boiling water containing milk and salt, and is served on the cob. The dried corn or maize, (MAIS in French,) is ground coarse or fine for making the following dishes.

Corn Meal Mush

One gallon of water, one ounce each of salt and butter, The seasoned water is brought to the boil, into which is then strewn and beaten one and a quarter pounds of corn meal; when boiled up again, it should be removed to the back of the range where it must simmer for three hours with a cover on; served with cream or milk and sugar.

Fried Corn Mush

A popular breakfast dish. The mush of the preceding when cooked is poured into a buttered pan, smoothed, the top then brushed with melted butter to prevent a hard skin forming, allowed to become cold, cut in blocks or slices, fried plain in butter, or breaded and fried; served with maple syrup.

Corn Batter Cakes

For recipe see heading of "Batters."

Corn Gems Or Muffins

One and a half pounds of corn meal, three quarters of a pound of sifted wheat flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, half a cup of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful salt, all mixed together dry; one and a half pints each of water and milk, six beaten eggs, half a cupful of melted butter mixed together, the dry and wet mixtures then thoroughly incorporated and poured into hot greased patty shells or muffin rings and baked; light and delicious.

Corn Bread, Johnny Cake Or Corn Dodger

The preceding mixture poured into greased hot shallow baking pans and baked well done with crisp corners.

Corn Meal Gruel

Well boiled corn meal mush two-thirds, slightly sweetened boiling milk one-third, mixed, then forced through a fine sieve or colander.

Corn Waffles

The mixture above given for "Corn Muffins," poured into hot waffle irons, baked and served dusted with powdered sugar.

Corn Blanc-Mange

Equal quantities of white corn meal and corn starch mixed dry, beaten into boiling milk sweetened to taste, then allowed to simmer for an hour, removed, flavored, poured into decorated molds, turned out when set and cold; served with whipped cream, fruit syrups or stewed fruits.

Corn Meal Or Indian Pudding

Thick well boiled corn meal mush allowed to partly cool, into which is then mixed seedless raisins, grated lemon rind,ginger, butter, a little molasses beaten with a very little baking soda, beaten eggs, then baked and served with a fruit syrup sauce.

Polenta

The Italian name for our corn meal mush; they also make a polenta from chestnut flour.

Hulled Corn

Dried white corn soaked in weak lye for two days is then well washed, boiled tender and served plain with milk. In the larger cities there are people who prepare it and sell it ready for boiling.

Tortillas, A Corn Cake Made By The Mexicans

The tortilla is typical of old Mexico, and is encountered wherever the influence of the cactus republic has reached. It was found as the main article of food among the ancient Aztecs at the time of the Spanish conquests, more than three and a half centuries ago; and the little hand ground and palm-fashioned corn cake has well held its own down through the ages, being today as popular and in as general use as ever. Shelled corn intended for this use is first soaked over night in lime water until the outer husk of the kernels is loose enough to be removed by being rolled between the hands, and is then ready for grinding. This is done by the Mexican women of the lower classes, who often work in the doorways of their homes, bending over the historic stone hand mill, called in Mexico a MAT ATE. The mill is simply a rough slab of stone supported by four stocky legs and is made of bolcanic tufa, the coarse grain of which is best adapted for the grinding of the corn, beans, chilli seeds, cheese or whatever it may be desired to finely pulverize. The stone mill is an indispensable item in the culinary outfit of the tropical home.

The accompanying handpiece, looking like a rude rolling pin, is also of stone, and is briskly worked up and down the incline of the rude stone table by the woman as she bends to her work with a steady swing of body, shoulders and arms. It is claimed that the flour for the tortillas can be perfectly milled only by their ancient methods, and when one sees the result of the grinding he is ready to admit that possibly they are right. As the moist windrows of the meal roll off the grinding board it is caught in a basin and is then ready for being formed into cakes for baking. When ready to bake a woman takes a small lump of the heavy mixture and lays it in the palm of her hand; then with the other palm, she rolls it into a ball and begins to quickly pat it in to the desired thinness, deftly spreading the fingers to allow it to enlarge its size, and changing it from hand to hand until it is only an eighth of an inch in thickness and generally about six inches in diameter, although sometimes as large as a dinner plate.

The plastic cakes are tossed, one after another, as completed, upon the stove called a Brasero, and as fast as delicately browned and turned they are placed in a steaming heap and enveloped in a cloth to keep them warm.