Johnny cake

Several different varieties of modern hybrid sweet corn, first developed in the early 1800s, are available at Stonington’s Farmers Market in August. “Butter and Sugar” with its sprinkling of white kernels and more numerous butttery yellows, is my favorite.  Pure white “Silver Queen” is another local preference.

In Stonington, Indian corn has not been altogether forgotten.  This old style corn is usually thought of as multi-colored and decorative.  But the local variety, called dent of flint corn, is less pleasing to the eye.  The kernels are dun colored and indent along each seed’s axis as it dries.

Two local farms still grow the legendary Pequot maize.  Whit Davis grows a field of flint corn at the Davis Farm in Pawcatuck.  After harvest, the corn is stone ground into corn meal at a local water-powered gristmill.  Whit and his wife Velora sell one-pound bags at the Saturday market.  Each of them wears a red bib apron embossed with white letters: David Farm.  Founded 1643. 

Ground corn saved the Pilgrims at Plymouth during the winter of 1620. Easily prepared and nutritious, ground corn was served up as “journeycake” by both native Indians and Colonials.  The name evolved to “Jonny-Cake” (or johnnycake).  It remains a local speciality.

The spring after their arrival, Squanto taught members of the Plymouth colony to plant flint corn five grains to each planting hill.  “One for the blackbird, one for the crow, one for the cut worm and two to grow.”