Pot Liquor
To me
the best part of cooked vegetables is the liquid they are
cooked in, called “pot liquor”. I believe that the best pot
liquor is made when turnip greens are cooked. I don’t
really like turnip greens but that pot liquor is out of
this world.
I remember seeing my grandmother saving the pot liquor in a
large bowl after cooking vegetables at dinner (noon). She
would crumble cornbread in it and leave it soaking. With a
glass of buttermilk, this would be the main course for
supper. We thought it was even better the next day.
Younger generations might not know what pot liquor is. They
might think it’s a liquid concoction made from marijuana
(pot). Back then the only pot we knew about was the black
one in the kitchen.
I remember when Mother’s youngest sister was still in high
school. She was a very pretty girl but in those days
teenagers dated very little. Most boys didn’t have a car
and in the case of Mother’s sister, she lived so far out in
the country that dating was almost impossible.
On
one of her few dates the automobile had a flat tire and the
boy got his hands and arms very dirty changing it. When
they got to her house he asked if he could come in and wash
up a bit. She was a little embarrassed for him to come in
for the house was a typical country home. There was no
running water and the only water in the house was in a
bucket in the kitchen where the family cooked and ate. A
big bowl of pot liquor with soaked cornbread was left on
the table after supper. This added to her embarrassment.
After washing up, the boy hesitated then asked if he could
have some pot liquor. He was in his environment and my
young aunt was relieved as she furnished him a spoon.
Years later she met and married a young career naval man.
Wouldn’t you know it. He loved pot liquor too.