The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-07-13
ANTE-BELLUM TABLE FARE.
Days Of Mighty Appetites, Sharpened bv
Portions Of Brandy and Honey.
Charlotte Observer.

Although In my other articles l
have incidentally touched upon the
manner of living of the southern plan
ters, I purpose in this letter to give
more in detail what they had to eat.
While they did not have the knick-
nacks and fancy dishes of this gen
Grafton, yet there never was class Of
gentlemen who had more wholesome
and nutritious diet than they had.
Provisions were made on every plan
tation to feed the negroes and the
white family. After supplying the
farm with everything that was ncccs-
sary, there was always a surplus,
which was sold. never heard Of a
pound Of western meat being used in
Lenoir County until after the war.
Now there is hardly plantation that
raises meat enough to supply it.
This is the policy all through the
South to-day. If our people would
reverse this policy and make every
thing at home like their ante ebcllum
fathers did, the South, with her rapid
strides in manufacturing, would to-
day be more prosperous than at any
time in her history. The late Senator
B. H. Hill, Of Georgia, in discussing
this subject before the Georgia far
mers, said that it would be better for
the South to produce all her supplies
and let her cotton be q surplus money
crop than it would for her to produce
all cotton and have her provisions fur
nished free. There is great deal of
force in this argument, and events
have proven the correctness of Mr..
Hills position.
Probably the next generation will
learn the lessons of d;yera;G cation and
produce everything that is needed for
the South, and then she will enter
upon new era Of prosperity and
greatness, and With her salubrious
climate and rich virgin soil, she will
become the most favored spot on this
globe. But before this can be done
the demagogue must give place to the
statesman, and broad national patri-
otto spirit and love Of the whole coun-
try muct be cultivated instead Of
party spirit end sectional hatred and
strife. May God hasten the day. o
for leader like Henry Clay, whose
heart was big and patriotic enough :o
love the whole country and whose
every effort was to pour oil on the
troubled waters and to prevent the
gaping, bleeding wounds which aftliot-
q his country after he had been
shered to his fathers.
But I have digressed. On every
farm were hogs, sheep and cattle, and
many Of the farmers raised their own
horses and mules. Milk and butter
we're had in abundance. I heard my
mother, who was married in 1926, say
that she was never without butter but
one meal from that time till the close
of the war, period of over 40 years.
A fresh pig and lamb could be had in
season, during spring and summer,
and in the fall nice fat beef that had
been run through the pea field. Hog
killing commenced before Christmas
and continued at weekly intervals dur.
ing January, 60 that during the whole
winter there was an abundance o:
fresh hog-killings. During the whole
winter there was for breakfast sausage
made in the good old way from the
tenderloin OF the hog, and the trim.
mings from the hams seasoned proper.
ly with red pepper and sage, and
epare.ribs and hog feet, and big hom-
iny covered with sausage gravy, and
cracking bread for breakfast. Can
you imagine richer, more nutritious
breakfast than that2 I had almost
forgotten the brains and ehitterlings.
have seen all Of the above,on the
table at one time. No wonder those
old farmers and their wives had
fresh, red color and were healthy,
strong and vigorous, so different from
the little, pale cigarette smoking
men Of this day. The appetite was
sharpened before breakfast with
little homemade apple or peach
brandy and honey, which made the
sumptuous meal eat so good. y, how
long for the flesh pots of Egypt
Hog feet is my favorite diet for break
fast. They have to me the most deli.
oious flavor of anything ever tasted.
I ate 13 one morning, end wanted
more. Thirteen is an unlucky num-
Der, but they did not hurt me. Now
come with me to the dinner table dur