# Hot Cakes



## kevjacko

I posted this on the BP Culinary Triumphs thread but thought it should be shared with the rest of the Catering Fleet.

I've just been watching Saturday Kitchen re run on TV. Now they had a chef on with 2 x Michelin stars. He set about making this fancy Dan Mackerel thing cooked with a blow torch. He then set about making an accompaniment, he basically knocked up a batter and shallow fried it. It was a hot cake. Don't care what anyone sez it was a friggin Hot Cake. He's got 2 x Michelin stars for doing what we (I tug my forelock in defference to all Chief & 2nd Cooks out there) were doing years ago on BP tankers for friggin breakfast. Jeez boys we were Michelin star trailblazers and didn't even know it.


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## Rob Shand

kevjacko said:


> I posted this on the BP Culinary Triumphs thread but thought it should be shared with the rest of the Catering Fleet.
> 
> I've just been watching Saturday Kitchen re run on TV. Now they had a chef on with 2 x Michelin stars. He set about making this fancy Dan Mackerel thing cooked with a blow torch. He then set about making an accompaniment, he basically knocked up a batter and shallow fried it. It was a hot cake. Don't care what anyone sez it was a friggin Hot Cake. He's got 2 x Michelin stars for doing what we (I tug my forelock in defference to all Chief & 2nd Cooks out there) were doing years ago on BP tankers for friggin breakfast. Jeez boys we were Michelin star trailblazers and didn't even know it.


Crikey!....I haven't had one of them in years. A Cook/Steward on one of Gardiners used to knock them out occaisionally....could of played ice hockey with them!!! Damn fine at the time though..


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## Albert Bishop

I still knock up a couple of hot cakes now and then, Great with bacon and egg. and hate to admit it but I somtimes also do a couple of spam fritters in batter. Old habits die hard i guess.


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## Pat Kennedy

Are hot cakes the same as hash cakes?
We used to often get them for breakfast in Blueys and they were delicious with bacon and egg.
Pat


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## Ray Mac

Pat Kennedy said:


> Are hot cakes the same as hash cakes?
> We used to often get them for breakfast in Blueys and they were delicious with bacon and egg.
> Pat


Hash cake, corned beef-onion-potatoes mixed, either called hash cake or dry hash, served at b'fast.

Ray


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## kevjacko

Pat Kennedy said:


> Are hot cakes the same as hash cakes?
> We used to often get them for breakfast in Blueys and they were delicious with bacon and egg.
> Pat


Hi Pat

We used to call that Silver Dollar Hash


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## OliverD

*Hash*



kevjacko said:


> Hi Pat
> 
> We used to call that Silver Dollar Hash


Alrighty then; where does that name come from ??
Corned beef hash is my favorite side for breakfast.


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## kevjacko

OliverD said:


> Alrighty then; where does that name come from ??
> Corned beef hash is my favorite side for breakfast.


It's an Americanism Oliver, the dish itself comes from Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. The original recipe is an Ozarkian blend of fried meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions- smothered in oil and fried in a skillet.

There seems to be several variations of the same theme, ours at Sea involved chucking a fried egg on the top.


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## Pat Kennedy

I often make them at home. Simply mashed potato, a can of corned beef and a chopped onion. Mash it all up and form hamburger shaped cakes and fry in a little oil until a brown crispy skin forms. We eat them with bacon and egg and baked beans.
I usually make enough for a dozen cakes and then freeze eight of them.
Pat


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## John Rogers

Pat Kennedy said:


> Are hot cakes the same as hash cakes?
> We used to often get them for breakfast in Blueys and they were delicious with bacon and egg.
> Pat


The answer is NO Pat, Hot cakes in the States are a form of a pancake or flapjacks (Slang).[=D]

f you are among the country folk in rural Southwest Washington State (and similar places), they are called HOTCAKES.

If you are in a logging camp, they are called FLAPJACKS.

If you are in certain restaurants or a little more finicky social stratum, then they are PANCAKES.

Also, the hotcakes and the flapjacks might use bacon grease for the shortening...but not always. Otherwise, same concept and similar recipes.


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## Farmer John

John Rogers said:


> The answer is NO Pat, Hot cakes in the States are a form of a pancake or flapjacks (Slang).[=D]
> 
> f you are among the country folk in rural Southwest Washington State (and similar places), they are called HOTCAKES.
> 
> If you are in a logging camp, they are called FLAPJACKS.
> 
> If you are in certain restaurants or a little more finicky social stratum, then they are PANCAKES.
> 
> Also, the hotcakes and the flapjacks might use bacon grease for the shortening...but not always. Otherwise, same concept and similar recipes.


Surely it is time to adopt the scientific nomenclature that is used for all living thingies (thingies is NOT a scientific term). This uses a binomial system based on "Genus species".

For example the common garden spider in the UK is generally accepted to be _Araneus diadematus_ and this name stands thoughout the world. The spider is classified as being of the genus "_Araneus_", the species is "_diadematus_".

In the example of comestibles described above, the genus for all three described could be "_Fried cake_", the species for all would also be the same, say "_simple_", giving a consistent name.

Thus if you are writing about a logging camp you would say "We were served Flapjacks (_Fried cake simple_), and even a resterauteur would know what was meant.

just a thought.


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## kevjacko

Farmer John said:


> Surely it is time to adopt the scientific nomenclature that is used for all living thingies (thingies is NOT a scientific term). This uses a binomial system based on "Genus species".
> 
> For example the common garden spider in the UK is generally accepted to be _Araneus diadematus_ and this name stands thoughout the world. The spider is classified as being of the genus "_Araneus_", the species is "_diadematus_".
> 
> In the example of comestibles described above, the genus for all three described could be "_Fried cake_", the species for all would also be the same, say "_simple_", giving a consistent name.
> 
> Thus if you are writing about a logging camp you would say "We were served Flapjacks (_Fried cake simple_), and even a resterauteur would know what was meant.
> 
> just a thought.


Do you mind John, This is the galley not a Latin prep room. We're simple folk in here who like our ingredients to be local & fresh. We struggled enough with Kitchen French without chucking Latin into the mix.(Jester)(Jester)


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## John Cassels

Pat Kennedy said:


> I often make them at home. Simply mashed potato, a can of corned beef and a chopped onion. Mash it all up and form hamburger shaped cakes and fry in a little oil until a brown crispy skin forms. We eat them with bacon and egg and baked beans.
> I usually make enough for a dozen cakes and then freeze eight of them.
> Pat


Sounds great Pat. Unfortunatly can only dream about them now
thanks to heart/artery troubles.


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## Pat Kennedy

John Cassels said:


> Sounds great Pat. Unfortunatly can only dream about them now
> thanks to heart/artery troubles.


I made some yesterday John, and me and the wife had two each wioth our Sunday breakfast this morning.
Delicious!. 
At least you can feast your eyes.
Regards, 
Pat


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## John Cassels

And that was indeed a feast , thanks Pat.


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## Duncan112

Thanks for reminding me about the Hot Cakes, knocked up some for Saturday breakfast and instantly brought back memories of sitting on the Poop of "British Dart" as cadet, having sneaked up the Lazarette and getting the Hot Cakes from the Galley Door. 30 years gone in a flash!!


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## Varley

I remember sailing with John Beattie (spelling? understand his son followed him as cook). While his 'normal' cooking was excellent he always had fresh confectionary creations ready for smokoe - much appreciated (regret to be exception but he almost made me wish I did have a sweet tooth).


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## vicday

There are other names for various pancake products, such as pikelets griddle cakes and drop scones, they only vary slightly in their recipes. another name for Hotcake is Jolly Cake but this is cooked in a pan with butter and oil and should be approx 2.5 cms thick, I make them regularly for b/fast.
Vic.


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## Old Janner

Hot Cakes a regular with old BP Chief Stewards, but then when you used your immagination so many varietties came from that mixture.
Hot Cake.
Add some cooke rice and you got a Rice cake.
Add some potato match sticks and you had a potato cake in batter.
Add a Tinned Sausage and you got a Susage in a batter, called by some!! a Toad in the hole.
Add some curry powder to the mixture and you had a Curry Cake.
Add some cooked rice to the above and you had a curry and rice cake , kepp some curry sauce and use it for breakfast in cold weather.
Add some old left overs of cheese grated and you had a Cheese cake and so on. So the basic hot cake mix was very versatile.

I am sure some of you can add some more.

OJ


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## kevjacko

OK Gents,

Knock youselves a hot Cake mix up make it nice and thick (cold water and self raising flour), grate 1 large potato and wring it dry through a tea towel to get rid of the excess water. To the hot cake mix add a couple of teaspoons of curry powder, and some fresh chili if one likes it hot (how much is up to the individual) don't forget to season. Add your grated potato, and a very finely chopped onion (small) to the hot cake mix and mix well. You shouldn't have to much batter to potato mind, your sort of binding the potato together. 

Heat your deep fryer fairly hot 175 to 180 does it and drop your mix in about a good table spoon size at a time. They should come out all golden and spidery.

Sprinkle with a bit of fresh coriander if it tickles yer fancy and serve with any dip ya want.

There you go Indian potato hot cakes.

seeemple

Enjoy


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## Ben Boat Jim

I did a trip on the "Esso Windsor" in the late 50's. I don't know if it was an American company...."Eastern States Standard Oil" that had a tendency to lean toward American style cooking, she was a great feeder by the way.

For breakfast as a side dish we had regularly...flapjacks and maple syrup, will always remember that part of the menu, but for the life of me can't recall if they were pancakes or hot cakes.

Any ex Esso tankermen around that can shed some light?

Regards Jim morrison.


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## kevjacko

Ben Boat Jim said:


> I did a trip on the "Esso Windsor" in the late 50's. I don't know if it was an American company...."Eastern States Standard Oil" that had a tendency to lean toward American style cooking, she was a great feeder by the way.
> 
> For breakfast as a side dish we had regularly...flapjacks and maple syrup, will always remember that part of the menu, but for the life of me can't recall if they were pancakes or hot cakes.
> 
> Any ex Esso tankermen around that can shed some light?
> 
> Regards Jim morrison.


If Esso were owt like BP they were pancakes Jim.


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## R396040

kevjacko said:


> If Esso were owt like BP they were pancakes Jim.


 Believe me Esso was NOWT like BP........ Did a year on each, not my choice (Pool) and as different as chalk from cheese...........(Bounce)(Bounce)


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## John Rogers

Ben Boat Jim said:


> I did a trip on the "Esso Windsor" in the late 50's. I don't know if it was an American company...."Eastern States Standard Oil" that had a tendency to lean toward American style cooking, she was a great feeder by the way.
> 
> For breakfast as a side dish we had regularly...flapjacks and maple syrup, will always remember that part of the menu, but for the life of me can't recall if they were pancakes or hot cakes.
> 
> Any ex Esso tankermen around that can shed some light?
> 
> Regards Jim morrison.


They would be pancakes.


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## john palmer

*John.Member from Tasmania*

I can clearly remember my Dad cooking Corned Beef Hash (CBH) in the mid 1940's after he came out of the RN.. and it was something we all had on a fairly regular basis. My Mum was pretty good at making even 'dripping butties' seem like a feast in those days in Liverpool, but she couldnt make CBH like our Dad. I think it was the Fray Bentos brand he used, and occaisionally we may even get an egg and HP Sauce with it . . . .luvly ! I don't recall ever having it during the 10years I was with the NZSCo. . .or FSNCo., but I can tell you that since settling down ashore and getting married, all three of our daughters know how to cook it and all the Grandchildren have tried it.(My wife holds 'em down while I force open thier mouths!).
Maybe the recipe for CBH did originate in the USA but I doubt it as the Irish began flogging tinned corned beef way back in the 1600's and the British Army had it in their kitbags soon after. . and took it all the world with them. I just find it hard to believe that some Paddy, Scouser, or Cockney army cook never thought of mixing it with onions and spuds ! I'm now going to to get the fry pan out.. . . .Cheers.


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## Klaatu83

John Rogers said:


> The answer is NO Pat, Hot cakes in the States are a form of a pancake or flapjacks (Slang).[=D]
> 
> f you are among the country folk in rural Southwest Washington State (and similar places), they are called HOTCAKES.
> 
> If you are in a logging camp, they are called FLAPJACKS.
> 
> If you are in certain restaurants or a little more finicky social stratum, then they are PANCAKES.
> 
> Also, the hotcakes and the flapjacks might use bacon grease for the shortening...but not always. Otherwise, same concept and similar recipes.


When they are made with cornmeal (an ingredient probably completely unknown in Europe) they are called "Johnny Cakes".

On shipboard they always were officially called "Hot Cakes". However, on many the ships on which I used to sail, the "Hot Cakes" the stewards turned out were often jokingly referred to as "Collision-Mats" because it was widely held that, in the event the hull was breached, they were large and dense enough to be used to plug up the hole!


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## john palmer

*John.Member from Tasmania*

If you're really into tinned corned beef you should try what the Americans call a REUBEN SANDWHICH :- One slice of rye bread, and put on as much corned beef as you want. On top of that put Swiss cheese, a generous helping of Sauerkraut and French mustard, and then whack another slice of rye bread on top. Then, if you still can, put it under a grill 'til it's hot and crispy. . . .and go for your life !
Apparently it was concocted in Nebraska somewhere, but as much as I enjoy corned beef I can easily give the cheese and sauerkraut away. 
I'll stick to crusty white bread and have a bacon sarnie. Happy cholesterol !


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## John Rogers

Just a point of interest, Corn Beef in the states is nothing like it is in the UK,where it is called Bully Beef,the stuff that's in a tin.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef


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## Duncan112

Try this - but leave the beef to soak for a couple of days before you boil it up - it's a faff but well worth the effort - ebay or amazon for the saltpetre

Making your own corned beef
1.25kg beef brisket in apple sized chunks – note: it will reduce in volume
900ml corned beef marinade
Marinade
8gm saltpetre – probably from your local butcher
40gm cooking salt
12gm soft brown sugar
1ltr water
Place all the marinade ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil for 10 minutes. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool.


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## John Rogers

Saltptre, plus Soft Brown Sugar, That sure counter- acts the little blue pill.


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## john palmer

*Member from Tasmania.Oz*

Hi John from the States. Many years ago while visiting Washington D.C. I tried a few different fast foods I had never had before, and one was something called Hush Puppies ! (Just the name got me to try 'em). I seem to recall them being something like small doughnuts . .or 'donuts' . I had a fair old mixture of food in that particular diner at the time, so is that correct ? Are HUSH PUPPIES like that ? Thank you.


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## John Rogers

Yes they are,mostly served with a fish meal. I can furnish a recipe for them if you like,very easy to make them.


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## john palmer

*Member from Tasmania.Oz*

Yes, John, I would love to ' have a go' at them, as I'm sure so would many more of the readers! So if you would be kind enough to pass the recipe on it would very much appreciated. ( I can just imagine the surge of electricity around the world in the morning as fry pans get fired up for a feast of Hush Puppies !).
I also recall that after initially having them in that Diner many years ago, I asked a guy in the Space Museum why they were so-called. He reckoned the name originated from the American Civil War, when scouts for the Yankee soldiers fed them to Confederate watch-dogs to stop them barking while they snooped around. 'Hush' Puppies. What a great name. So now the recipe. . . . . . Please John.


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## John Rogers

Here we go John, here are two you can try,they are very simple but if you want to be brave and bold you can chop a small jalapeno pepper and add it to the mix,WARNING THEY ARE HOT.

Original recipe makes 24 hush puppies
• 
2 eggs, beaten
• 
1/2 cup white sugar
• 
1 large onion, diced
• 
1 cup self-rising flour
• 
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• 
1 quart oil for frying
Check All Add to Shopping List
Directions
1.	In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, and onion. Blend in flour and cornmeal.
2.	Heat 2 inches of oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls in hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Cook in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Drain briefly on paper towels. Serve hot.


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## John Rogers

•	HUSH PUPPIES.
Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
•	Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients
•	1 cup yellow cornmeal
•	1/4 cup all-purpose flour
•	1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•	1/2 teaspoon salt
•	1 egg, lightly beaten
•	3/4 cup milk
•	1 small onion, finely chopped
•	Oil for deep-fat frying
Directions
•	In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the egg, milk and onion; add to dry ingredients just until combined.
•	In a deep-fat fryer or electric skillet, heat oil to 365°. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into oil. Fry 2 2-1/2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.


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## john palmer

*Member from Tasmania.Oz*

G'day to all, and many thanks for the recipes John, which is very kind of you,and which I look forward to cooking and re-living the taste of Washington DC. As it happened I was just reading your recipes when two of my daughters arrived for a quick 'cuppa', and have now requested I make a heap for the family gathering over Easter. They suggested one lot 'plain' and the other with the Jalapenos. I like the sound of them. . . . .Hush Puppies with a Bite ! !

I will have a trial run with both recipes after I get some Cornmeal later today and let you know the result. Thank you once again, and I hope all the 'Gutsy' readers and would-cooks enjoy the 'Pup's' as well. Cheers.


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## John Rogers

I look forward to your FEEDBACK.


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## jg grant

john palmer said:


> I can clearly remember my Dad cooking Corned Beef Hash (CBH) in the mid 1940's after he came out of the RN.. and it was something we all had on a fairly regular basis. My Mum was pretty good at making even 'dripping butties' seem like a feast in those days in Liverpool, but she couldnt make CBH like our Dad. I think it was the Fray Bentos brand he used, and occaisionally we may even get an egg and HP Sauce with it . . . .luvly ! I don't recall ever having it during the 10years I was with the NZSCo. . .or FSNCo., but I can tell you that since settling down ashore and getting married, all three of our daughters know how to cook it and all the Grandchildren have tried it.(My wife holds 'em down while I force open thier mouths!).
> Maybe the recipe for CBH did originate in the USA but I doubt it as the Irish began flogging tinned corned beef way back in the 1600's and the British Army had it in their kitbags soon after. . and took it all the world with them. I just find it hard to believe that some Paddy, Scouser, or Cockney army cook never thought of mixing it with onions and spuds ! I'm now going to to get the fry pan out.. . . .Cheers.


JP #25 Hi John tinned beef in the sixteen hundreds???


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## John Rogers

18th-century Atlantic trade
Although the practice of curing beef was found locally in many cultures, the industrial production of corned beef started in the English Industrial Revolution. Irish corned beef was used and traded extensively from the 17th century to the mid 19th century for English civilian consumption and as provisions for the British naval fleets and North American armies due to its non-perishable nature.[3] The product was also traded to the French for use in Caribbean sugar plantations as sustenance for the colonist and the slave laborers. [4] The 17th-century English and Irish industrial processes for corned beef did not distinguish between different cuts of beef beyond the tough and undesirable parts such as the beef necks and shanks.[4][5] Rather, the grading was done by the weight of the cattle into "small beef", "cargo beef", and "best mess beef", the former being the worst and the latter the best.[4] Much of the undesirable portions and lower grades were traded to the French, while better parts were saved for English consumption or shipped to English colonies.[4]

Ireland produced a significant amount of the corned beef in the Atlantic trade from local cattle and salt imported from the Iberian Peninsula and southwestern France.[4] Coastal cities, such as Dublin, Belfast, and Cork, created vast beef curing and packing industries, with Cork producing half of Ireland's annual beef exports in 1668.[5] Although the production and trade of corned beef as a commodity was a source of great wealth for the colonial nations of England and France (who were participating in the Atlantic slave trade), in the colonies themselves the product was looked upon with disdain due to its association with poverty and slavery.[4]


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## John Rogers

jg grant said:


> JP #25 Hi John tinned beef in the sixteen hundreds???


Irish Were the First Exporters of Corned Beef
Irish were the biggest exporters of Corned Beef till 1825. 
The English were serving corned beef but also the Irish. In this day and age 
corned beef and cabbage is not very Irish, but corned beef is. The area of Cork, Ireland was a great producer of Corned Beef in the 1600’s until 1825. It was their chief export and sent all over the world, mostly in cans. The British army sustained on cans of Cork’s corned beef during the Napoleonic wars.


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## jg grant

Yes John and hello but with respect, canning in the 1600's? I seem to recall a fateful trip to the North West passage or somewhere that turned to disaster because the tinned meat, which was a new process at the time in the 1800's, was sealed in tins with lead and the team got marooned and all went loopy as a result of eating the contents . Sorry can't remember the details. Regards


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## John Rogers

jg grant said:


> Yes John and hello but with respect, canning in the 1600's? I seem to recall a fateful trip to the North West passage or somewhere that turned to disaster because the tinned meat, which was a new process at the time in the 1800's, was sealed in tins with lead and the team got marooned and all went loopy as a result of eating the contents . Sorry can't remember the details. Regards


I will do some surfing and see if I can find any reference to that incident, its hard to believe they had tins/cans back then,even thou they had tankards to hold their grog.(Pint)


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## John Rogers

I found some info here,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin's_lost_expedition

Plus this.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/northwest-passage/


The disappearance provoked what some say was the most expensive search-and-rescue mission ever mounted. Between 1848 and 1859, as many as 40 ships and more than 2,000 men searched for Franklin's fleet. In 1859, searchers found artifacts and bodies on King William Island. They found two do***ents that indicated the ships had become frozen in the ice. The notes also indicated that Franklin died on the ship in 1847. Survivors abandoned the vessel the year after, but all died trying to reach the mainland.

Scientists later dug up crewmembers bodies and discovered that lead poisoning from the soldering on tins of canned food may have been a factor in their deaths, and would have had an effect on their physical and mental stability. Even more gruesome, analysis of the crewmembers' remains pointed to cannibalism.


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## John Rogers

The Invention of the Tin Can.

History

The tin can was patented in 1810 by British merchant Peter Durand, based on experimental food preservation work in glass containers by the French inventor Nicholas Appert the year before. Durand did not pursue food canning himself, but, in 1812, sold his patent to two Englishmen, Bryan Donkin and John Hall, who set up a commercial canning factory, and by 1813 were producing their first canned goods for the British Army.

Early cans were sealed with lead soldering, which led to lead poisoning. Famously, in the 1845 Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin, crew members suffered from severe lead poisoning after three years of eating canned food.

In 1901, the American Can Company was founded which, at the time, produced 90% of United States tin cans.[1]


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## john palmer

*Member from Tasmania.Oz*

Back to the 'Hush Puppies' folks ! I cooked a batch from recipe No1, without the Jalapenos ! The first half dozen I undercooked. . .the second half dozen I overcooked. . . .but the next 20 were perfect. Wife and I sampled a few and the rest I passed on to my daughters and grandchildren who, between them, tried them with jam, marmalade, honey, tomato sauce, raspberry topping, maple syrup, corn relish, soy sauce, and mustard pickles. (Separately, I mean !) They loved 'em and now want more. So, thank you for the recipe John. 
Incidently, when I tried to get 'corn meal ' at one of the two major supermarkets over here, I was told it is sold as 'polenta ' . . . not corn meal. Just thought I'd mention it. Happy eating !


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## John Rogers

Glad you and the family enjoyed them,never ate them unless they were with a nice piece of cod. But I will always try new stuff. I bet they are good with nice fresh honey.

Try letting them float to the top of the deep fryer.

Polenta.

It's exactly the same thing with one "but." Grind size varies greatly on corn meal, whereas polenta is a little more standard, usually medium to medium/coarse.
Cook it the same way, it's the same thing.


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## ben27

john rogers,19 march.2013.23:40.re:hot cakes.as you say hot cakes are flapjacks,but to get back to corn beef,when we served corn beef, a mix of potato's,onions.ect.as there were many to feed.it was placed in a baking dish,covered in streaky bacon.baked in an oven.it was called American dry hash.verry popular.try some.have a good day.ben27


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## William Clark8

*American Hash versus Hot Cakes*

Pretty good but you can"t beat a Couple of nice Hot Cakes
with a couple on nice runny poached eggs on top
Am drooling thinking about them. ps Don"t forget to put a
bit a Cayenne pepper on top(Eat)


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## morky1

Welsh cakes anyone ?


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