“‘I recollect when Daddy made a gritter from a board and piece of metal. After he gritted the corn, Mom made such good gritted corn bread, crackling’ bread also.’ Editor’s Note…I had never heard of “gritted corn bread” so I asked my parents about it. They knew what I was talking about immediately. They said that in the fall, when the corn was beyond ripe, but not yet dried completely, the ears of corn would be pulled and grated and made into something between a bread and a pudding in texture. They said people used to make their own “gritters” (graters) by taking a lard bucket lid or such and punching holes in it with a nail. Then all people had to do was use the side of the metal flared out from to grate their food. I thought that was pretty smart.
Home “gritters” were probably only one of many pieces of life of yesterday that are no longer around. They were taken for granted in that era. Now there is a whole generation who never heard of such things. How many other things are being forgotten.”
-Excerpt from column, Mountain Memories, written by Louzilla Patrick appearing in the January 1985 issue, page 21, of The Mountain Laurel, a monthly Journal of Mountain Life by Laurel Publications, Inc., Meadows of Dan, Va. 24120
Dear History Buff visitors: What “other things” do you know of. If you will share them, we’ll post them!!
While reading some old newspaper articles at the library I came across an article about a “madstone” that was apparently an old American Indian cure for being bitten by a rapid dog. I researched it and found that it is a part of the stomach of a deer that is removed and given special treamtent. From what I have learned it was not a common item to have around the house as the person in need had to find out who had one and then go for the treatment, which included several applications of the stone after it had been soaked in milk and other ingredients. It was then applied to the wound and left until the stone turned green. There may have been several applications. The articles that I read reported success with the stone.
One article told of the family traveling from Mayfield to Paducah for the treatment, which in those days was quite a journey.
Please send me a recipe for gritted bread,my great grandmother use to make it for her grandchildren loved it, it was so delious we could eat it buy it’s self.Now she passed and so has the recipe.
I’m not sure I have a recipe for gritted cornbread but will look and get back to you! Thanks for visiting our website and please come back again!