Hush puppies are golden fritters made from a thick cornmeal-based batter that are fried until crisp outside and tender-chewy inside. Hush puppies are common across the American South where they’re served as an accompaniment to fried seafood and barbecue. Hush puppies can be shaped into balls or oblong fritters.
Why Are They Called Hush Puppies?
There isn’t one definitive source, but the most widely known story goes that when a group of fishermen or hunters began cooking their catch, their dogs would inevitably start barking and making a racket in anticipation of the feast. To keep the dogs quiet, the outdoor cooks fried up a basic cornmeal bread to feed the dogs and “hush the puppies.” Another Civil War-era tale posits that one night when Confederate soldiers were preparing dinner over a fire, they heard Union soldiers approaching. To prevent being discovered, they fed their barking dogs fried cornmeal pieces and ordered them to “hush, puppies!"
What Are Hush Puppies?
Hush puppies are golden fritters made from a thick cornmeal-based batter that are fried until crisp outside and tender-chewy inside. Hush puppies are common across the American South where they’re served as an accompaniment to fried seafood and barbecue. Hush puppies can be shaped into balls or oblong fritters.
Why Are They Called Hush Puppies?
There isn’t one definitive source, but the most widely known story goes that when a group of fishermen or hunters began cooking their catch, their dogs would inevitably start barking and making a racket in anticipation of the feast. To keep the dogs quiet, the outdoor cooks fried up a basic cornmeal bread to feed the dogs and “hush the puppies.” Another Civil War-era tale posits that one night when Confederate soldiers were preparing dinner over a fire, they heard Union soldiers approaching. To prevent being discovered, they fed their barking dogs fried cornmeal pieces and ordered them to “hush, puppies!"