Virginia Hoecake

Annie Parsons

Virginia, US

Comment

Fave Memory for the October HandPicked Design Challenge:

While most Southern hoecakes are small and fried, our family gives the name "hoecake" to a large, fluffy buttermilk biscuit that we bake and then cut into squares. The recipe for this three-ingredient quickbread has been passed down through at least four generations of Virginia mountain women, from my great-grandmother Rosalie who was born in the 19th century, to my grandmother Clelon who grew up during the Great Depression, to my mother Shelley who created the pencil-lettered title for this recipe, to me, who created this illustration in watercolor, pencil, and digital media. Whenever I make a hoecake, I feel connected to my heritage, proud of the women who came before me, and covered in flour. We love to eat hoecake with cozy fall soups or drizzled with honey for dessert.