To be a great commercial success. Hot cakes, an American name for griddle cakes or pancakes since the late seventeenth century—William Penn wrote of “hot cakes and new corn” in 1683—are an extremely popular item at church sales, fairs, and similar events where food stands play an important role. Consequently, they tend to sell out as quickly as they are cooked. By the mid-nineteenth century the term had been transferred to any item that was selling extremely well. Just before the outbreak of the Civil War, O. J. Victor wrote (Southern Rebellion, 1860), “Revolvers and patent fire-arms are selling like hot cakes.”