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.