Johnnie Cake

Sift meal into a pan; make a hole in the middle and pour in water, adding salt.

With a spoon, mix the meal and water gradually into a soft dough; stir it very briskly for a quarter of an hour or more, until it becomes light and spongy.

Then spread the dough smoothly and evenly on a straight, flat board (a piece of the head of a flour-barrel will serve for this purpose); place the board nearly upright before an open fire and put an iron against the back to support it.

Bake it well; when done, cut it in squares.

Send it hot to table, split and buttered.