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Some History and Recipes for making
Parched Corn aka Nokehick
[Parched corn was called nokehick by the Wampanog Indians, but the Englishmen called it nocake.]
A BRIEF HISTORY
Wood's New England's Prospects [1634] describes Nocake as follows:
�Nocake, as they call it which is nothing but Indian corne parched in the hot ashes being sifted from it, it is afterward beaten to a powder, and put into a long leatherne bag, trussed at their backe like a knapsake; out of which they take thrice three spoonfulls a day, dividing it into three meales.�
Roger Williams in his A Key into the Language of America [1643] reported:
�Parched meal...is a readie wholesome food which they eate with a little water, not or cold; I have travelled with neere 200 of them at once, neere 100 miles through the woods, every man carrying a little basket of this at his back, and sometimes in a hollow Leather Girdle about his middle sufficient for a man three or foure daies: With this readie provision, and their Bow and Arrowes, are they ready for War, and travell at an houres warning. With a spoonfull of this meale and a spoonefull of water from the Brooke, have I made many a good dinner and supper.�
Parching Corn
One of the first things we learn about the Native Americans is how they taught the early colonists about the essential crop of corn; showed them how to grow it; and, how to use it. From time to time in historical records we find references to parched corn. During the Starvation Time of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony in 1622, food was so scarce that each colonist received only five kernels of parched corn per day. Yet, this time-honored method of cooking corn has been nearly forgotten in today�s world.
Parching corn is similar to popcorn, in that kernels 'pop' loudly when heated, but parched corn is not popped corn as some might think. True parching corns are varieties of flour corns, and their kernels are soft and dry when mature. When heated slowly, they expand only slightly, and the seed coat usually splits. The word �parch� comes from Old English, and means �to make dry.� In parching corn the kernels are cooked slowly until they soften and expand, but do not explode as with popcorn (see illustration below). Popcorns are flint corns, and their hard brittle kernels explode and expand in volume when heated.
In early times the Native Americans parched their corn in earthenware pots over an open flame. By the 19th century as settlers made their across America many of the pioneers parched corn in iron kettles or skillets. With today�s technological advances, corn can be parched successfully in a microwave oven.
Parching corns are much sweeter and more flavorful than popcorn and don�t need added oil or salt to enhance their flavor. Although any flour corn can be parched, there are only a few varieties which are recommended for taste. White corn varieties tend to be bland; yellow corn usually has a disagreeable aftertaste; and, the black varieties are not at all pleasant to the taste. Not all red or purple flour corns are great parching corns. The best ones become sweet as you chew them, have tender skins and delicious flavors. Native Americans grow these red and purple varieties specifically for parching.
Traditional Method of Parching Corn
Spread a layer of kernels in the bottom of a skillet with no oil, and place over low heat. Stir the kernels as they cook to prevent burning. Stop the cooking when the popping has mostly stopped, but not completely. You can stir the corn by shaking the pan on the burner as you might with popcorn. The parching takes about five minute using this method.
Microwave Method of Parching Corn
Place about 1/4 cup of plain kernels on a thin plate and cover with a paper plate. Micro- wave on high for 3 minutes. Stop the cooking when most (but not all) of the popping has completed (which may be only one to two minutes depending on the variety, moisture content and power of the oven). Uncooked kernels of parching corn don�t have to be separated from the cooked kernels because they are soft and tasty even when raw.
One of the better varieties of corn recommended for parching is the Supai Red. In the two photos above of parching corn before and after cooking, you will notice there is very little difference in their appearance.
Seed corn for Supai Red is available from:
Seeds of Change, P.O. Box 15700, Santa Fe, NM 87506-5700.
Cultivating Your Own Parching Corn
If you plan to grow you own crop of parching corn, it is recommended that corn be planted in blocks of short rows rather than longer rows. If you are planting corn in a garden, be sure the varieties are at least 20 feet apart so that each variety will mostly self-pollinate. The early Native Americans understood the varieties would mix if planted too close to each other. They did not understand cross-pollination, but referred to the mixing as �traveling.�
Source of Commercial Parched Corn
A number of commercial companies sell snack foods which are identified as parched corn. However, most are oiled and salted, or are included in trail mixes. For those wishing a taste of unsalted parched corn, or for use in remembrance of �The Five Kernels of Corn� observed by the Society of Mayflower Descendants, simple, unsalted parched corn can be ordered by the pound from:
Blue Heron Mercantile, 4202 Hillsdale Drive, Lafayette, IN 47909.
Corn Meal Mush or Aup�minea-wasa�mp
�The parc'd meale boild with water at their houses, which is the wholsomest diet they have.�
The parched corn meal cooked with water was called aupuminea-nawsaump. Ordinary nausaump, on the other hand, was �A kind of meale pottage, unpartch'd. From this the English call their Samp, which is the Indian corne, beaten and boild, and eaten hot or cold with milk or buter, which are mercies beyond the Natives plaine water, and which is a dish exceeding wholesome for the English bodies.�
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AMERICAN INDIAN RECIPES
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