Corn-Meal Musk

Stir together one pint of corn-meal, one tablespoonful of flour, and one pint of cold milk. Turn this slowly, stirring well meanwhile, into one quart of boiling water, which should not cease to boil during the introduction of the batter. Cook three or four hours. If milk is not at hand, water alone may be used, in which case two tablespoonfuls of flour will be needed. Cook in a double boiler. This is excellent served with grape sauce prepared as directed on page 22.

Corn-Meal Mush With Fruit

Mush prepared in the above manner may have some well-steamed raisins or chopped figs added to it just before serving.

Corn-Meal Cubes

Left-over corn-meal mush may be made into an appetizing dish by first slicing into rather thick slices, then cutting into cubes about one inch square. Put the cubes into a tureen, and turn over them a quantity of hot milk or cream. Cover the dish, let stand until the mush is thoroughly heated through, then serve.

Browned Mush

Slice cold corn-meal mush rather thin, brush each slice with thick, sweet cream, and brown in a moderate oven until well heated through.

Samp

Samp may be prepared by coarsely grinding newly ripened corn to about the fineness of cracked wheat. This may be done at home with a hand-mill. Put the samp in a rather deep dish; pour some cold water over it, stir it well with a spoon, which will cause the chaff to rise to the top, when it may be turned off with the water. This process should be repeated until the samp is well cleaned. Drain it by turning into a fine colander, and cook in four and one-half parts boiling water. Boil rapidly, stirring continuously until well thickened, then cook slowly from three to eight hours, the time being dependent upon the age of the corn from which the samp is prepared.

Cerealine Flakes

Into one measure of boiling liquid stir an equal measure of cerealine flakes, and cook in a double boiler from one half to. three fourths of an hour. Cerealine with a dressing of grape juice makes a most palatable dish.

Hulled Corn

To Hull the Corn: Put enough wood-ashes into a large kettle to half fill it; then nearly fill with hot water, and boil ten minutes. Drain off the water from the ashes, turn it into a kettle, and pour in four quarts of clean, shelled field corn, white varieties preferable. Boil till the hulls will rub off. Skim the corn out of the lye water, and put it into a tub of fresh cold water. To remove the hulls, scrub the corn well with a clean stiff brush-broom kept for the purpose, changing the water often. Put through half a dozen or more waters, and then take the corn out by handfuls, rubbing each well between the hands to loosen the remaining hulls, and drop again into clear water. Pick out all hulls. Cleanse the corn through several more waters if it is to be dried and kept before using. Well-hulled corn is often found in the market. If preferred, a tablespoonful of carbonate of soda with water sufficient to cover the corn may be used in which to boil the corn, in place of the prepared lye.

To Cook: If it is to be cooked at once, it should be parboiled in clear water twice, and then put into new water and cooked several hours, or until tender. It should be nearly or quite dry when done. It may be served with milk or cream.

Coarse Hominy

For coarse hominy, use four parts of water or milk and water to one of grain. It is best steamed or cooked in a double boiler, though it may be boiled in a kettle over a slow fire. The only objection to the latter method is the need of frequent stirring to prevent sticking, which breaks and mashes the hominy. From four to five hours' slow cooking will be necessary, unless the grain has been previously soaked; then about one hour less will be required.

Fine Hominy, Or Grits

This preparation is cooked in the same manner as the foregoing, three and one half or four parts of water being used to one of the grain. Four or five hours will be necessary for cooking the unsoaked grits.