This day in history.....

[Trila]

Nancy Green was an amazing woman! It makes me sad that more people don't know who she was. So, I thought that this would be a good place to share her story.......

Tue, 03.04.1834

Nancy Green, The Original ‘Aunt Jemima’ born​

Nancy Green in
Aunt Jemima Logo



*On this date, we mark the birth of Nancy Green in 1834. She was a Black storyteller and one of the first (Black) corporate models in the United States. Nancy Green was born a slave in Montgomery County, Kentucky.

In 1890, she was hired by the R.T. Davis Milling Company, which was looking to employ a Black woman as a Mammy archetype to promote their new product. In 1893, she was introduced as Aunt Jemima at the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in the guise of a plantation slave, where it was her job to operate a pancake-cooking display. Her amiable personality and talent as a cook for the Walker family, whose children grew up to become Chicago Circuit Judge Charles M. Walker and Dr. Samuel Walker, helped establish a successful showing of the product, for which she received a medal and certificate from the Expo officials.

After the Expo, Green was offered a lifetime contract to adopt the Aunt Jemima moniker and promote the pancake mix. However, it is likely this was part of the lore created for the character rather than Green herself. This marked the beginning of a major promotional push by the company that included thousands of personal appearances and Aunt Jemima merchandise. Green was one of the organizers of the Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago. Her career allowed Green the financial freedom to become an activist and engage in antipoverty programs.

She also was one of the first Black missionary workers. She used her stature as a spokesperson to become a leading advocate against poverty and in favor of equal rights for individuals in Chicago. Nancy Green maintained this job until a car crash in Chicago killed her on August 30, 1923. She is buried in the city’s Oak Woods Cemetery. The world knew her as "Aunt Jemima," but her given name was Nancy Green. The famous Aunt Jemima recipe was not her recipe, but she became the advertising world's first living trademark.

 

[Timewise 60+]

As a child, my mother always had her pancake mix available to make breakfast pancakes. I recall going with my dad to a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Elks. They served pancakes, that's why I got to go. The lady cooking the pancakes was dressed like Aunt Jemima and she cooked great pancakes. She actually taught me how to make pancakes, which has served me well over the years. So, the Aunt Jemima moniker has stayed with me for most of my life...

 

[Trila]

As a child, my mother always had her pancake mix available to make breakfast pancakes. I recall going with my dad to a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Elks. They served pancakes, that's why I got to go. The lady cooking the pancakes was dressed like Aunt Jemima and she cooked great pancakes. She actually taught me how to make pancakes, which has served me well over the years. So, the Aunt Jemima moniker has stayed with me for most of my life...

You are fortunate! There is an art to making a good pancake.....sadly it is an art that I never learned. I love pancakes but since mine never turn out right, I never make them.

 

[Timewise 60+]

You are fortunate! There is an art to making a good pancake.....sadly it is an art that I never learned. I love pancakes but since mine never turn out right, I never make them.

Ok, your post was so nice that I decided to share my secrets on how to make perfect pancakes...Making the batter is the easiest follow a recipe to make from scratch or get a pancake mix either one will work well.

To get the best pancakes you need either a cast iron black skillet or a griddle. Turn the heat below the cooking surface to med high. Give it 3-5 minutes. Test the surface temperature by allowing a drop of water to fall off a finger onto the cooking surface. If the water does nothing your surface is not hot enough wait a couple more minutes and retest, if the drip immediately turns to steam your surface is to hot turn it down to medium and wait. When the drop lands on the heated surface and dances around as it is evaporating...the temperature is perfect.

Take a paper towel and roll it up and fold it over forming a small applicator at the folded end of the paper towel. Dip that 'applicator' in solid or liquid cooking oil (Crisco, Lard, or any other but not butter as it will burn). Using the applicator covered with oil paint the oil over the cooking surface of the pan or griddle. At that point pour your pancake batter on the surface (you can do as many as you can flip, whatever size you want.) During the cooking process test the heat on the surface using a drip of water and adjust the heat if necessary. Do not flip the pancakes more than once. The pancakes will start to get bubbles on the surface of the cake. When the bubbles are plentiful, take a spatula and lift up to corner of one cake to see if it is golden brown. When it is flip them all over and wait until the other side is brown also. Serve and eat...

I learned this from an Aunt Jamima, look alike when I went to a Pancake Breakfast fund raiser as a kid...I got bored and she offered to teach me how to make those great pancakes...

By the way.... this is a secret recipe, please do not share...

 

[Trila]

Ok, your post was so nice that I decided to share my secrets on how to make perfect pancakes...Making the batter is the easiest follow a recipe to make from scratch or get a pancake mix either one will work well.

To get the best pancakes you need either a cast iron black skillet or a griddle. Turn the heat below the cooking surface to med high. Give it 3-5 minutes. Test the surface temperature by allowing a drop of water to fall off a finger onto the cooking surface. If the water does nothing your surface is not hot enough wait a couple more minutes and retest, if the drip immediately turns to steam your surface is to hot turn it down to medium and wait. When the drop lands on the heated surface and dances around as it is evaporating...the temperature is perfect.

Take a paper towel and roll it up and fold it over forming a small applicator at the folded end of the paper towel. Dip that 'applicator' in solid or liquid cooking oil (Crisco, Lard, or any other but not butter as it will burn). Using the applicator covered with oil paint the oil over the cooking surface of the pan or griddle. At that point pour your pancake batter on the surface (you can do as many as you can flip, whatever size you want.) During the cooking process test the heat on the surface using a drip of water and adjust the heat if necessary. Do not flip the pancakes more than once. The pancakes will start to get bubbles on the surface of the cake. When the bubbles are plentiful, take a spatula and lift up to corner of one cake to see if it is golden brown. When it is flip them all over and wait until the other side is brown also. Serve and eat...

I learned this from an Aunt Jamima, look alike when I went to a Pancake Breakfast fund raiser as a kid...I got bored and she offered to teach me how to make those great pancakes...

By the way.... this is a secret recipe, please do not share...

Wow! That is awesome! Thanks for sharing your secret!!!!

I still have a problem though......it's my batter. It's never right! Too thick, too thin, etc. Any advice?