A TASTE OF AUTUMN

 

THE TASTES & AROMAS OF AUTUMN

The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold...

Sing it, Nat (as in King Cole in the old Johnny Mercer classic)...

Those falling red and gold leaves, along with crisp cool air, bright blue skies, college football games, a flask of whiskey, and a crewneck sweater tied around my shoulders bring back many a college memory.  I love fall.

Still do, even though I now live in the Ojai Valley, where there’s little fall nip in the air or a need for sweaters over my shoulders, crewnecks or otherwise. But the heat does recede, some leaves do change color, and we have a pumpkin patch for the kids who trick or treat with glee. 

Fall is the prelude to the winter holiday season, ending with the celebration of Thanksgiving where many families and friends across the country share a traditional festive meal of turkey, stuffing, string bean casserole, and all sorts of pies. At least in Norman Rockwell illustrations.

These autumn days also bring the political election season featuring stump electioneering, endless TV commercials, telephone calls to “donate to whomever” and a zillion texts and emails to do the same.  $1.00, $2.00, $10.00 or $100.00 – whatever you can afford... reams of literature and flyers left in your mail box... televised and non-televised political rallies, town halls, campaign meetings, primaries and caucuses.  And folks hosting dinner parties for various candidates or causes.

In 1988, Richard, my writer-director-producer (in Hollywood, everyone’s a hyphenate) and great cook husband (and the reason I branched out as a writer and started writing about food, but I’m digressing...), and I belonged to a gourmet group in L.A.  It was a presidential election year and in October when it was our turn to host the group’s monthly dinner, we decided on an election ‘theme.’  As the host couple, we provided the entrée and drinks. 

With family roots in the south, Richard decided our entrée would be Brunswick Stew... a southern tradition where politicians would use a pot of stew, traditionally made with squirrel or rabbit (“Hi, I’m Larry, this is my brother Daryl and my other brother Daryl,” with rifle and a string of dead squirrels in hand, come to mind for you Newhart fans - RIP) and local veggies like lima beans, corn and okra to lure folks to campaign rallies and the polls on election day. “Cast your ballot, stop by for stew.”

Why Brunswick Stew? I hadn’t a clue. As a “Yankee,” I’d never heard of Brunswick stew.  Lamb stew, beef stew, even fish stew, yes – but Brunswick stew, nope.  But I soon learned the answer - it was very cheap for working folk to make and could feed a crowd.  Add a jug or two of moonshine, and folks flocked to the rallies and polls.  We, of course, did not have moonshine, but bourbon gave us all a healthy shine.

Stew Backstory: Brunswick Stew also caused a war between the states. Not North against the South, but Virginia against Georgia, both fighting over who first invented this hearty c0ncoction. It was called “The Great Brunswick Stew War” and it’s been waging for over 100 years.

Brunswick, Georgia claims to be the birthplace of the very first Brunswick Stew. But, but, but Brunswick County, Virginia fiercely makes the same claim. If you do a little research, Brunswick, Georgia made its first stew in 1898, and Brunswick County’s stew was created in 1828, 70 years earlier.

As legend has it, Dr. Creed Haskins, a member of the Virginia state legislature, wanted a special dish for a political rally. Jimmy Matthews, an African American hunting camp cook (and most likely a slave), concocted a huge pot of stew made with squirrel and provided the recipe for the rally.  The stew, named after the county, went on to become one of the most beloved dishes at all of Virginia’s political events.

The recipe for the stew, which then became a Southern favorite, varies from state to state, family to family. Many Virginia recipes now lean more toward chicken or rabbit as their meat ingredient, whereas Georgia’s recipes are more the beef and pork variety. 

I love humorist Roy Blount, Jr.’s reported explanation of this beloved dish: 

“Brunswick Stew is what happens when small mammals carrying ears of corn fall into barbecue pits.”

From a zillion recipes for this election season stew, here are links to two - a classic Virginia Brunswick Stew recipe and an old-fashioned Georgia Brunswick Stew recipe:

https://food52.com/recipes/38861-classic-virginia-brunswick-stew

https://thehappierhomemaker.com/georgia-brunswick-stew/

If you’re reading this column before November 5^th, please remember to VOTE – then on November 6^th, stew on the results.