Cush is a dish that became popular following the

Slave Trade Slave trade may refer to: * History of slavery - overview of slavery It may also refer to slave trades in specific countries, areas: * Al-Andalus slave trade * Atlantic slave trade ** Brazilian slave trade ** Bristol slave trade ** Danish sl ...

. It is also known as cornmeal hash.

Origin

The dish likely originated in the

southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

sometime shortly after the start of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. The name is likely derived from the Cajun dish '' couche-couche'' (fried cornmeal mush).

Popularity

The dish became popular during the American Civil War among the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

, due to the minimal amount of preparation needed to prepare it and the few ingredients required.

Preparation

A Confederate soldier gave this recipe for cush: "We take some bacon & fry the grease out, then we cut some cold beef in small pieces and put it in the grease, then pour in water and stew it like mash. Then we crumble corn bread or biscuit in it and stew it again till all the water is out. Then we have real Confederate cush." Though it was usually served with the water cooked out, in the form of

hash Hash, hashes, hash mark, or hashing may refer to: Substances * Hash (food), a coarse mixture of ingredients, often based on minced meat * Hash (stew), a pork and onion-based gravy found in South Carolina * Hash, a nickname for hashish, a canna ...

, sometimes it was served as a stew, with flour as a substitute for the cornmeal. When

corn pone Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States, with origins in Native American cuisine. It is an example of batter bread. Dumplings and pancakes made with finely ground cornmeal are ...

went sour, it was often used in place of cornmeal.

References

{{Reflist Cuisine of the Southern United States Military food Confederate States Army