Mush.
When you hear that word, what comes to mind?
A dogsled race? An overcooked vegetable?
I’ve told you before how smells and tastes of food can trigger long forgotten memories, and for me that word “Mush” brings back some wonderful childhood memories.
Memories of waking up on a frigid Iowa winter morning, curled up “snug as a bug” under a pile of quilts in my unheated upstairs farmhouse bedroom. (Yes…we had no heat in our upstairs bedrooms!) Memories of recognizing a delicious breakfast smell wafting up the stairway. Memories of jumping out of my comfy bed and bounding down those icy cold steps to follow that wonderful smell all the way to our warm and cozy farmhouse kitchen. Memories of a morning when the snow outside was deep and cold, and our kitchen windows were fogged over with condensation from the steamy warmth inside.
Our farmhouse kitchen was always filled with good food, always served with a giant helping of love.
Those precious memories are so real I can almost touch them even now…sixty years later.
It was on some of those bitter cold crisp winter mornings when my dear mother would treat us to a steaming hot platter of fried cornmeal mush, dripping with sweet creamery butter and warm maple syrup. And let me assure you, the word mush will always and forevermore be a GOOD word in my vocabulary.
It’s a funny thing. I hadn’t thought about fried mush for at least fifty years. That is, until I offered to make some skillets of cornbread to take to an Autumn party next week. (That’s another story!) But when I bought a large bag of cornmeal in preparation for that event I noticed the fried mush directions on the side of the bag. And that’s when those precious winter morning memories came flooding back. And I longed for a taste that would reawaken those thoughts of Mom’s delicious breakfasts and our cozy farm kitchen.
So last night I headed to the kitchen to whip up a batch of mush to bring Mom back to front and center in my mind. And since I was alone last night for dinner (a rare occasion, I’m happy to say) I decided to pour some of the cooked cornmeal into a bowl and enjoy it for my dinner. I topped it with a dab of butter and a swirl of molasses to give it a real “old-timey” flavor. (It was delish!)
I poured the rest of the hot, cooked cornmeal into a small bread pan to allow it to firm up overnight in the refrigerator.
And this morning, that chilled cake of yummy was ready to transform into my breakfast!
I sliced the cake into rather thin slices to allow them to get really crispy.
I dredged those thin slices in flour.
I continued my trip down memory lane by using one of my old cast iron skillets, and I added a blob of butter and allowed the skillet to get hot.
I added the slices to the pan, and I let them fry until they were crispy and browned.
Then I stacked those hot slabs of mush onto a plate and I added some butter that quickly melted into a puddle of joy…
Then I slowly added a drizzle of maple syrup…
I wish I could find the words to tell you the feelings that came flooding back when I took that first bite.
It truly was one of those “hugs from heaven” moments for me. In fact, it almost brought tears to my eyes. (OK…it did.)
Once again, I was that happy little girl in our cozy farmhouse kitchen on a cold and snowy morning back in 1955.
Priceless.
Fried Cornmeal Mush
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
- 1 Cup COLD Water
- 3 Cups WARM Water
- 1 tsp. Salt
Instructions
-
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring 3 Cups of WARM water and the salt to a boil. In a small bowl, mix together the cornmeal and the 1 Cup of COLD water. Gradually stir the cornmeal and water mixture into the salted boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover, and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into a bread pan and allow to firm up in the refrigerator for at least several hours or overnight. Slice into thin slices. Dredge in flour and fry in butter until golden brown and crispy. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
I can relate but frosty had never heard of this!
LOL! Please give Frosty a hug for me…and tell him he has no idea what he’s missing if he’s never tasted MUSH! Maybe we can get together in Florida an I can fry up a big batch for breakfast this winter!
XOXO
Meemaw
Reading your recipe for fried mush brings back memories of my childhood as well. And my mom cooked on a wood cook stove. What talent I only now come to realize!! My mom also used to make homemade pancakes. They were delicious. I wondered if you had a recipe for those as well. I would love to see it. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your comment Marva! I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to reply! You may know about the awful wind storm that devastated our area in the Heartland…and we’re doing our best to help those still hurting. In fact we are organizing another donation drive this week! Pancakes are very simple to make from scratch using ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. I just jump online and find a recipe when I want to make them. 🙂 Just Google Homemade Pancakes and I bet you’ll find one you love. (Always add a sprinkle of sugar to the batter to help them brown perfectly.) Good Luck and Thanks Again for your comment! Food memories are THE BEST!!!
XOXO
Meemaw
I was just thinking about pancakes the other night; ones like my Mom used to make. They were somehow tastier than today’s version. I’m wondering, could it be because they used (hate to say the word…) LARD to fry them in that iron skillet? Something was different about them because I’m sure Mom used just a basic pancake recipe.
Good Morning Sherry…
You may be right. Or maybe your Mom used good old bacon grease! Those childhood food memories are wonderful, aren’t they? Thanks for your comment!
XOXO
Meemaw
One of my favorites as well, Patty. We also used to eat it with “Tomato gravy” on it. The Amish restaurants here in Sarasota actually serve it too!
I have never had tomato gravy, but I remember my brother’s story about it. Tom had gone home with an Amish friend from our country school and he was invited to stay for dinner. They served tomato gravy and Tom was shocked! 🙂 He ate it, but he was not a big fan of it. (Another country school memory revisited!)
XOXO
Meemaw
I too have such fond memories of eating corn meal mush! I don’t think I ever served it to my kids…maybe I should have!
It’s not too late Ferne! And I plan to make a big batch for breakfast next week when we visit family in Indiana. (Our grandkids LOVE my stories…and they are willing to try anything I cook for them!)
XOXO
Meemaw
I remember the first time I ate fried mush. I had stayed overnight at grandma’s and Mom showed up early to pick me and my sister up. Grandma and Mom worked together cutting and frying the mush. I fell in love with one taste.
Awww…Thanks for sharing your story Douglas! Isn’t it amazing how food memories are etched so deeply in our minds…and in our hearts?! Thanks again for your comment!
XOXO
Meemaw
wow that is something I want to try ! looks like a great memory and taste!!
Thanks Linda! It’s really delicious…and so easy! Let me know how it goes…
XOXO
Meemaw
Fried cornmeal mush brings back fond memories for me too, Patty. Jim’s mother invited the family for a mush fry every year before they headed to Florida in Nov. She always served hamburger gravy and cooked apples to complete the meal. There was never any mush left at the end of the meal.
Love your recipes and luv u 2
Awww….THANK YOU Sandy G.! I love it when one of my blog posts brings back memories for me…AND for my readers! I really can’t describe the feelings I had as I tasted that first bite dripping with butter and syrup. Food memories fill my days with joy! Thanks again for sharing YOUR memory, and I luv U too! 🙂
XOXO
Meemaw
I have always wanted to try fried cornmeal mush. My Grandpa used to talk about eating it as a child with butter and molasses or jam. I’m off to the store to buy some cornmeal and try this for breakfast tomorrow morning. I can’t wait!!
I am SO GLAD you’re going to give it a try! Don’t rush the frying process…If you want it to be crispy, give it plenty of time in the skillet on medium heat. I love rather thin slices that are crispy and browned on the outside and the inside is still creamy and soft. (I’m getting hungry again just thinking about it!) I can’t wait to hear how you like it. 🙂
Blessings and Hugs!
XOXO
Meemaw
Patty, you sure know how to “stir up” some wonderful memories! My dad loved fried mush and cooked it every Sunday morning! I remember the warm butter and syrup and how good it tasted. I’m going to make your recipe this week. Thanks for rekindling happy memories!
Awwww….THANK YOU Jean for your kind comment! 🙂 I am SO GLAD when one of my posts really strikes a chord with my readers. Please let me know what warm thoughts are rekindled for you as you sit down to enjoy a plate filled with mush…and memories!
XOXO
Meemaw
If I didn’t know better i’d Say we grew up in the same house! I grew up on the farm in Michigan and no heat upstairs. My mom would make corn mush and my dad loved it! Both are gone now and those memories remain. Good ole fried mush!
Thanks for your comment Barbara! It sounds like we are BOTH blessed with some wonderful family memories!And doesn’t it warm your heart when you uncover a memory that had long been forgotten? That’s why I try to write down these stories…so our grandkids can relive MY childhood…and to share them with the generations still to come!
Now…let’s see what other memories I can dig up that we BOTH remember! 🙂
XOXO
Meemaw
I too remember my mom & grandmother frying up fried mush for breakfast I have been trying to find it in the grocery store without luck thanks for the recipe will be making it this weekend for breakfast Hubby has never had it boy is he ever in for a treat
Thanks so much for your comment Linda! I hope your hubby likes it! I love it sliced thin and fried crispy. Then topped with real butter and maple syrup…or for a real throwback to the 1950’s try it topped with molasses! And FYI…If you can find a roll of plain polenta in the refrigerated section that’s actually the Italian version of mush too! But it’s so easy to make from scratch I hope you do! And please…let me know the results!
XOXO
Meemaw
In the grocery store it’s called pulenta.(spelling) usually found in produce near vegetarian and refrigerated salad dressings.
Thanks Mary! Yes…Precooked polenta can sometimes be found in grocery stores. It’s usually packaged as a roll and shrink wrapped in the refrigerated section. But it’s very easy to make it from scratch. You simply cook the corn meal and refrigerate in a bread pan or any container. When the corn meal has firmed up simply slice it and dredge it in some flour before frying. I like it thin siced and fried very crispy before topping with butter and maple syrup! A childhood memory on a plate!!! 🙂
XOXO
Meemaw
My mom made this for us when we were little kids. I used to be able to find it in the store but it’s been years. My 35 year old daughter asked me
Last weekend if I remembered making it and was surprised she remembered. My friend and I were talking this morning and I was telling her about it and she forwarded me your recipe. To tell you it brought tears to my eyes is an understatement.
Thank you for making my day today. I can’t wait to make a batch.
Oh Becky…your comment brought a tear to MY eye!!! I am always so humbled when one of my blog posts touches someone’s heart. Please let me know how my recipe turns out for you. And treasure those food and family memories…just like I do!
Happy Holidays to You and Yours!
XOXO
Meemaw
As a farm kid I thought I was the only one that had no heat upstairs in a old farmhouse. Guess not. My mom would make the mush and put it on the cold back porch. Put butter and maple syrup on it. Yummy! It took me 50 years til I thought of mush again. Oh the memories. I love your blog!
Aww…THANK YOU Diana for your kind comment! aren’t food memories awesome???? Yup…butter and maple syrup. Served in a warm kitchen with snow outside. Such amazing memories we share!
XOXO
Meemaw
My goodness did this recipe ever bring back childhood memories (I’m in my mid-40s). I remember my mother used to buy this at the store once in a while and make it on a Saturday morning.
My children just discovered they love mush! Thank you 🙂
It was my pleasure to share my memory with all of my readers! And I love hearing from folks who have memories that just need a little jog to bring back their childhoods too!! 🙂 Thanks again for your comment Betty!!
XOXO
Meemaw
Getting read to make some mush. Real maple syrup is good, but many, many times I remember eating it with brown sugar syrup.
Thanks for your comment Nancy! I hope your mush brings back many fond memories for you!!
XOXO
Meemaw
My Grandma made fried mush for me & my cousins when we were young. I was raised by my Grandparents and she made it for my Dad & his siblings during the depression when they were young because they had 6 children & it was a low cost meal. Grandma put butter & onion salt on it. I still eat it this way but a lot of people I serve it to use syrup on it. She used to fry it in bacon grease.
It sure was “kisses & hugs” from my angel of a Grandma when I made it tonight.
Thank you for bringing up wonderful memories for me.
Cheryl
Oh Cheryl…Your sweet comment warmed my heart! Aren’t family food memories simply THE BEST??? I have NO DOUBT your Grandma was smiling in Heaven! After all…her granddaughter cooks with LOVE just like she taught her to!
Happy Cooking!
XOXO
Meemaw
Both my Grandmother and Mother made home made mush, lived in Indiana. I remember insted of water they used broth, what ever they had left from dinner that night, or saved from another meal. Does anyone else remember it being made this way?
Thanks for your question Ann! I have never heard of that…but if serving with a savory meal I think it would be delicious! I often use broth when cooking pasta or noodles to bump up the flavor, so I say GO FOR IT!!! 🙂
XOXO
Meemaw
My mm always made it with left over beef broth. Delish😋
Love that you share this old timey recipe.
I too remember a no heat bedroom.
We would dash down to dress in front of the living room fireplace which dad had stoked up before leaving for work.
Mom made some good breakfasts.
I wandered on to your blog because I just made a pan of scrapple. Childhood memory of our farm on the NJ/PA border.
Felt a bit of nostalgia here in Thailand.🙂
Aww…THANK YOU Bill! What a different world we live in now! But I love to reminisce about those good old days…and the food memories that man so much to me. Thanks again for your kind comment shared from so very far away!!
XOXO
Meemaw
Hello! I honestly had never heard of this dish until reading the Little House books and cookbook. I tried their version of the recipe, and I was a bit disappointed, because they seemed to fall apart very easily when I started cooking them. I was worried about them being overcooked or undercooked as I had never tasted them before. They were very lightly golden and not the dark color yours were. My husband said they were virtually tasteless except when you added maple syrup, so I must have done something wrong?! One of the things that you did, that the cookbook did not call for, is coating the pieces in flour, so I might try that next time. I am not giving up on this. Just like I am not going to be discouraged when my husband says I spoiled a good thing in the form of my fritatta by adding brussel sprouts, well anyway to get the veggies into you that you will not eat straight. LOL Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Thanks for your comments Amy! I like mush sliced very thin and dusted with flour before frying. And yes…make it crispy! And top with butter and syrup! If ours was tasteless make sure you add a little salt to the mixture, or a sprinkle after frying. Some folks add a little sugar to the hot mixture before letting it cool. Keep experimenting, and I hope you find a version you both enjoy!!
XOXO
Meemaw
My mom always told me she put sugar in it also – how much would you recommend if I wanted to experiment.
Man – I remember she made a huge batch on Saturday – always fried extra and let it sit out on the table – so as we ran in and out playing – we could grab an extra cold stick and eat it on the run – it’s ALMOST as good cold – mush is heavenly any way you eat it – just eat it.
Hi Paula! The amount of sugar would depend totally on the size of the batch of mush you are cooking. You’ll need to experiment with the ratio. I say add sugar to the hot mush to taste…then let it cool and firm up. Good luck and ENJOY!!!
XOXO
Meemaw
I have always been Mema until our great granddaughter came along. These days Iam known as “ Meatball” and I love it. My oldest granddaughter started calling me Mema and my great daughter started calling me Meatball. Even some of my church family calls me Meatball. Im so glad I landed on your page, my mush I made for frying was too wet and wouldn’t stay together for frying. I will follow your recipe now. We ate polenta growing up. I love good fried mush too. Bless you Meemaw.
ps.love your family story.
Awww…THANK YOU Meatball!!! 🙂 Isn’t it WONDERFUL when children decide who we are??? I LOVE your new name too!! (My Mom was known as “Granny Goose” when our firstborn son arrived!) 🙂 Please keep in touch and let me know how your mush turns out in the future. And welcome to my page!!
XOXO
Meemaw
I’ve never had it, but I will be!!! sounds delicious!!!
Thank you Vickie! I hope you gave it a try!
XOXO
Meemaw
I grew up as number 10 of 15 children in a very l loving family. After a stint in the army and getting married, I had breakfast out with my wife on a Saturday morning and a swing by my parents to say hello. I told my mom I had tasted mush for the first time in my life and thoroughly enjoyed it. I asked why we had never had mush. She said, “Honey, I will not let mush in my house.” For 30 seconds, I tried to understand why this loving, caring person would feel so strongly about mush. She was raised in an orphanage and from the age of three, had been served mush for breakfast every single day. Every Day. Mush was cheap so that was what they had. Every day until the age of 15 when she escaped. I cannot imagine having the same thing for breakfast every day for 12 years and not absolutely HATING that food. So, I never raised the subject again with her butt did enjoy mush ( at my house).
What a touching story Nick! And thank you for sharing it with us. Your poor Mother deserves to eat anything BUT mush for the rest of her life! God bless her, and all who have had sad food memories in their lives!
XOXO
Meemaw