Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-06
Tho Real Ola brunswick stcw.

TO Qlo Edttor Of ne Dispatch;
In response TO the question, What WAS
the origin OF Brunswick stew" some cor
respondent OF yours, in your issue OF the
10th instant, In undertaking a reply. dates
back 1t to forty years ago." DC. He is far
out. l have personal knowledge that !,
was an institution of that God-blessed
portion of tho old Commonwealth known
a. Brunswick county fifty years aEone:
How much further back the memory OF
this correspondent cannot carry 1t. IL
had It's origin aud development and
attained TO perfection only In pcr-
ton of tho county known as tho
Red Oak neighborhood "a section
peopled before the late war by men of opu;,
Observation-Disclosures every one OF
thsm-men Of large stomachs, large hearts,
and Of lareeness OF hospitality which !
have never seen equalled in any portion OF
the world where ffty years OF life have
carried mo. Fifty years ago last August !
was invited TO o Brunswick stew" At
"Trotter's store. In the Red Oak neigh
borhood. On reaching tho store / was
directed to a spring, in grove
few hundred yards distant. where
some thirty or fortv gentlemen were
assembled, Longing on the grass or
seated on rustic and improvised benches
talking orops-and politics, OF course-as
was luo OSf. Ou luAb Nhys
ginia gentlemen assembled, whilst sus;
pended from the stout green sticks. rugged
in the form OF jury-nsst, there was hang
ing an iron pot or caldron of the capacity
Of some fifteen gallons or more. with fre
kindled under II. The pot Was partially
filed with water by tho willing hands OF
negro boy or two AMI the process. OF pre-
pairing Brunswick stew" was then be-
gun under the auspices and supervision OF
a tlafr NJ
mion, and whose rudy countenance ana
rotund person proclaimed familiarity
with good vinnds. First the meat
was brought up and thrown in. This con
sisted Of one hundred nicely- dressed spur
rsls-nothlng moro. After thoy had been
boiled for fifteen minutes they were taken
from the pot, thrown into cold water to
cool and thon were scraped with Kitchen
knives until they wore 40 white as the
snowy cloth on which they were laid.
Thon they wers placed back in the pot:
which had been eInptied Of the water;
think, in which they were boiled and cold
water added until 10 was nearly full again.
They were then slowly cooked, until FORK
being plunged into the vessel. the fesh
could DO taken up from the bones. Then
the proce.s-4he true prooess-ot
preparing Brunswick stew" was be-
gun. First q peck Of Irish potatoes
hnoly cut up were thrown IN. 4 few minutes
afterwards about half As many onions. IS
il seemed to mo. As these were stirred IN
and cooked done they were followed by
half dozen loavcs OF bread, then some
two or three ounces of black pepper, O
pod or two ofued pepper broken up, ana
finally. a. the stew was nearly done, four
pounds Of fresh butter and two bottles OF
old port wine we're stirred in II required
several hours 20 compound and complete
this savory mess. and the appetites OF tho
waiting company were whetted IN tho
mean while with occasional recourse to
hye-gallon tub Of apple tOddy, brewed
from brandy that could only be gotten be-
fore tho war. and cooled with ice manu-
featured by nature from natures Own
ponds, and innocent of any smack OF ethor
or ammonia. But when the stow was taken
of and served from silver ladies on tho
old blue china plates, q feast began, the
like OF which has tickled no palate of
prince or peasant anywhere in civilized or
uncivihzed land. Nothing w:slike it, and
nothing can ever be like 1t any more,
world without end.
Some OF your older readers can posi-
bly, recall some similar symposium, and
thoy will confirm my story and now let
mo resume The genuine Brunswick stew
was made Of squirrels: was made out OF
doors; was redolont OF no kitchen fumes
had neither corn, tomatoes, nor beans init,
as affected now, and was as tar above tor
rapin stew. sheephead OF rockfish chovdor
as the heavens are above the earth. saw
subsequently at private tables in tho good
old county imitation stews-of chicken.
tomatoes, corn, &c, called IN common
paranoe Brunswick stew-but the cOurtly
danes who dispensed the hospitality. and
whose grand housewIfery made you =
willing victim to excess, would always ex-
plain, This Is but poor imitation. sir,
of the genuine and generous dish that my
lord can brew out OF doors and in cal
dron, if you will remain with US few days
and give him an opportunity"
But must cease. Those words take me
back to people which are not, to q race
OF men and women which have passed
away, and which time can never repro
duce. 1t is we'll, Mr.. Editor, that you
know them not. They lived before your
day, and they have left you with no hope
less regrets-no sleeploIs memories Of the
old rBpne. bEHI-OcoAsIoNAI.