CARBS BE DAMNED!

I took a drive north on Sunday, to visit my aunt.She lives in a small retirement community, bordered by farmers' fields. The corn is coming up! The last time we drove that way, the corn was still playing shy with everyone, and not quite showing itself above the fence, but on Sunday, it was boldly looking out over the rail, as if to say "Here I come, are you ready?" I love the look of a cornfield, with the ears ripe for the picking. I almost never eat it off the cob -hate having to pck it out from between my teeth. Ever since I took that baseball to the mouth, my teeth have been rearranged just a little and things stick where they never used to. Broken and repaired teeth notwithstanding, my pleasure in the visual treat that is a field of corn offering itself for the harvest is diminished not a whit.
   Corn has been an important food source in these parts for long centuries. The First Nation people referred to it as one of the three sisters.The first white settlers in the new world were indebted for their very survival more than once to the Native people. Corn to eat, as well as instruction on how to grow the crop were some of the life-giving gifts presented to the new neighbours. The Europeans continued to find corn just as important as the natives did. "Johnny cake" or Journey cake" became an important staple of their long trek to market. When the trip meant hitching up the team and being on the road for a whole day or more, you needed to take food with you that would not spoil. The pioneer's johnny cake was a bit dry, being made without eggs or milk so it would last the journey. Today's version is just a wee bit easier to eat, even without water to wash it down! I've made it for my daughters for years and they've always enjoyed the 'at home version'. When the pioneer wife made it for her family on a day when everyone would be at home, it could be served warm from the oven, in a bowl with maple syrup poured over its golden goodness. After seeing that corn field on the weekend, the thought of johnny cake would not leave me alone until I had trekked to the store to buy some cornmeal and then headed to the kitchen. Let me share with you my recipe, and wish you pleasure in the fragrance of the cornbread filling your kitchen, and joy in the feeding of your family.

Johnny Cake

You can bake this creation in a twelve-cup muffin pan, or in an 8" x 8" square pan. Grease the muffin cups well, or grease and flour the pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.

*1/4 c. wheat germ
*3/4 c whole wheat flour
*1/4 c sugar
*4 tsp baking powder
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 c cornmeal
*2 eggs
*1 c milk
*1/4 c oil (sunflower,or corn or even olive oil will do)

Measure all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, and use a fork to stir them together. Combine all the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, make a well in the middle of the dry, and pour in the wet. Use a wooden spoon to mix it all well, bu don't beat it! Pour into baking container and pop in the oven for 20 minutes. Give the square pan a little longer in the oven, maybe as much as five extra minutes, but check on it first after 20 minutes. It's done when it's a beautiful golden brown. If you baked it in the square, there will be a crack or two in the surface. Use a tester (I use an old knitting needle!) if you want to be really sure. This recipe doubles perfectly.
Crumble a pice into a bowl while it's still warm and get out that syrup.You can also enjoy it buttered, or plain if you're not a syrup fan.