Fishing-Camp Hushpuppies*
� 2 cups coarse [preferably stone-ground] yellow corn meal
� 1 Tbs flour
� 1 tsp baking soda
� 1 tsp baking powder
� 1 egg, beaten
� 1 Tbs salt (or less if you prefer)
� 6 Tbs chopped onion
� 0 tsp sugar [crucial omission!]
� 1 cup buttermilk
� plenty of HOT peanut oil [a gallon, say, in a large pot, deep skillet, or Dutch oven]
[all measures �more or less� � except, of course, �0 tsp sugar�]
Mix and sift the dry ingredients.
Add the chopped onion.
Combine the egg and the milk.
Add them to the dry ingredients and stir all into a stiff batter.
Drop by humongous, mounded spoonfuls (about 2� x 3� inches or more) into deep, HOT [as hot as you can get it] peanut oil while catfish pieces are frying in the oil, or after you've taken the fish out.
They�ll rise to the surface of the oil when they�re done. Scoop �em out.
Drain �em on paper towels [or on old brown paper grocery sacks for historical authenticity and ambience].
You�re on your own from here. You�ll figger out what to do with �em.
*recipe from many first-hand (and impatient!) observations of hushpuppies being made by Dr H C Fountain; Evergreen, Alabama (1880-1977) � bass fisherman, foxhunter, houndsman, dentist, maternal grandfather of Ken Howell [in order of his priorities]
