I just came in from a long walk. You can tell it's Fall. People are starting to cook again. Someone was roasting pork a block from here, and at the same time, I could smell frying bacon, and a memory came to me...About every other Sunday morning, Tom used to make a big breakfast for us. It was usually of fried potatoes with onion, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. About a year into our marriage...it was a Saturday night, and I heard him out in the kitchen banging pots.
"You gonna make popcorn?"
"Nope. Corn Mush."
"Corn Mush?"
"Yeah. Where do you keep the bread pans?"
"You're making hot cereal. Why do you need bread pans?"
"To set the corn mush. We're having Fried Corn Mush for breakfast tomorrow."
Sure enough, he boiled up some corn grits, and spooned them into a greased bread pan, covered it, and set in the fridge overnight. And in the morning, he sliced it, and fried it in bacon grease. He had his with a couple of over-easy eggs on top, and sausage patties on the side.
The reason I'm telling you this part, is because after one bite, I knew it need molasses. I just knew it would be perfect that way. And sure enough, memories of eating fried corn mush came pouring out of my Brer Rabbit bottle. My mom used to make this! When did she stop? Why?
Fried Corn Mush is an inexpensive breakfast, and it can be eaten sweet or salty, as the main dish or the side. I prefer it fried in butter, and drizzled with molasses, but lots of folks like it with sausage and apples.
There's also a savory kind of corn mush my mother liked to make for frying that's very popular amongst the Pennsylvannia Dutch. It's called Scrapple.
Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple
1 medium onion, chopped
1- 1/4 quarts water
1/2 pound finely chopped raw pork
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup corn meal
1. Brown onion slowly in some sausage or bacon fat.
2. Add pork, seasoning and water.
3. Brink to boil, then turn down to simmer for 20 minutes
4. Add corn meal, and cook on lowest heat for one hour. Stirring frequently.
5. Spoon into a greased bread pan. Bang a couple of times to make sure there aren't any air bubbles.
6. Let set for overnight.
Cut in 1/2 inch slices, and fry in bacon/sausage fat until brown.
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