Joseph’s Hoecakes

Hoecakes, johnnycakes, ashcakes, griddle cakes, Shawnee cakes—all are styles of cornpone that can be traced back to the original Indians, Colonial settlers, and black slaves, who cooked these primitive breads on iron sheets, flat rocks, and the metal ends of hoes over open fires. This particular recipe was obtained years ago from my family’s loyal black waiter, Joseph, in the gracious dining room of The Patricia Inn at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (today a sad shadow of its