I thought they were but no – they are little deep fried balls of loveliness that I forbid myself to cook too often!
This recipe is from my friend Chad who is fast becoming my bread baking mentor he says good cooks are artists and good bread bakers are scientists. When I do depend on science to make a loaf of bread it comes out really well but when I go off the beaten track like I have this morning – well anything can happen.
But Hush Puppies are not like bread and are a wonder to cook for easy going artistic cooks like me. 
This recipe is Chad’s grandmother’s recipe. She grew up in rural central South Carolina. Her name was Mimi.
And sweet Bloody Butcher ( a red Indian corn that can be traced back to the tribes who passed through this region for centuries – since way back before they were introduced to horses – and was not called bloody butcher until the settlers came across it which makes me think we should call it Red Indian Corn) is a wonderful cornmeal for Hush Puppies.
I also have a sale on Bloody Butcher Cornmeal at The Mill so when you do your flour shopping don’t forget to grab a bag. Also don’t forget to put an F next to your name so I can pop a sample of something new into your box. I love spoiling The Fellowship!
Did you know that the Bloody Butcher corn is so sweet you can eat it fresh like sweetcorn.
Mimi’s Hush Puppies
2 cups Bloody Butcher Cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder
Pepper and Salt to taste
Half an onion finely ground/chopped
Stir up.
Then add
1 cup of cultured buttermilk mixed with 1 large egg.
Drop small spoonfuls into very hot oil. (I had trouble with the oil – finally settling on a local sunflower oil). Olive oil is also a good frying oil that gets really hot but I did not have enough and neither is it local.
Drain and eat with a dip if your choice. I mixed home made yoghurt with a home made sweet chili sauce.
Here in the Midwest, John tells me, they eat Hush Puppies with fried fish. But that was too much deep fried food for me so I ate mine with a salad.
These are a great treat!
Have a lovely weekend
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
31 responses to “HUSH PUPPIES ARE NOT SHOES!”
Hush puppies and fried fish… oh joy!
Another southerner chiming in , though a little late. Hushpuppies and fish are a definite yes. When visiting the grandparents in Georgia many years ago, my grandmother would make hush puppies to go with the meal even if we didn’t have catfish or flounder. My grandfather always had to have some kind of bread with the meal. They do make hush puppy mix in 1-pound(?) packages. All the dry ingredients and some flavoring ..like garlic powder, onion powder, pepper etc. you add the wet and fry them up. We never used deep fat, just a cast iron skillet and some crisco (many years ago) or canola oil today. They need to be flipped if in shallow oil.
To the person who asked, Polenta is made from a coarser grind, like Grits. Corn meal is finer, like a flour.
My husband and daughter both prepare food like artists – the recipe is just a suggestion, a jumping off point. This approach can work well for a stew or for pasta dishes,etc, but baking is SO much less forgiving! I don’t ask them to make bread for me anymore.
Had to laugh at the title. We knew hush puppies as comfort food long before it was comfort footed.
Ours are more golden ( different corn meal) and usually served with fish (catfish inland, flounder on the bay/gulf), shrimp, or any kind of sea food. Just wonderful
Some fancy them up by adding cheese in the mix, but a good plain hush puppy is a delight (and sign of a good cook- “Marry that one” they used to say
Hi Celi!
You’re such a beautiful angel. Who whips up yummy treats. Boy, is your family blessed!