Caring for community

This small town knows the meaning of sharing.

Risidents of tiny Latta, South Carolina, head for the local community center each year on the Friday before Christmas. Everyone is welcome to free meals throughout the day, all paid for, prepared, and served by a group of their neighbors.

Henry Brunson and 49 other men have been carrying on the tradition for about 30 years. "We view it as our gift back to the community," Henry says. He is so devoted to the gathering that he grows, harvests, washes, and helps cook the seven pickup truck loads of collards it takes to feed the entire town. The group's members simply call themselves "the sponsors," each contributing $125 and innumerable hours to produce this annual day of friendship.

John Kirby explains that Allan Brigman, then-mayor of Latta, and Chester Taylor started cooking barbecue to share with shut-ins. Claude Graham adds, "We began cooking for the shut-ins and invited our friends in to eat the leftovers. Over the years, it turned into thousands of friends!"

The group now prepares the food in a cookhouse equipped with burners that can accommodate huge kettles and stockpots as well as several large smokers that hold some 1,400 pounds of Boston butts.

Rescue squad members and other volunteers deliver 450 takeout meals to the aged and the ailing. "Most of the people are bedridden and can't get out," says a member of the Floydale Rescue Squad. The sponsors feed as many as 2,000 at supper. Melinda Roberts says, "I've been coming since I was in the sixth grade, and now my own son is in third grade. It's a tradition." Claude Graham couldn't agree more. His face wears a satisfied smile when he says, "Our community has really enjoyed this thing." So that you can enjoy a taste of event, the sponsors agreed to share a few of their recipes. DONNA FLORIO

COUNTRY-STYLE COLLARDS

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

PREP: 45 MIN.; COOK: 1 HR., 10 MIN.

Henry Brunson's original recipe started with a pickup truck load of collards, but we whittled it down to a family-size proportion.

2 large bunches fresh collard greens (about 5 pounds each)

½ pound fatback, sliced

½ pound hog jowl

1 tablespoon oil

4 cups water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

REMOVE and discard stems and discolored spots from greens. Wash greens thoroughly; drain and cut into ½-inch strips. Set aside.

COOK fatback and hog jowl in hot oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until fatback is crisp. Remove fatback and jowl, and set aside. Drain, reserving ¼ cup drippings.

BRING 4 cups water, next 3 ingredients, and ¼ cup reserved drippings to a boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add one-third of greens, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted. Repeat procedure twice with remaining greens. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until collards are tender. Add additional sugar and salt to taste, if desired.

KHITH ALLEN AND HFNRY BRUNSON

LATTA, SOUTH CAROLINA

COLESLAW

MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

PRKP: 20 MIN.

The cooks at Latta Middle/High School are known for this tasty slaw.

1 cup mayonnaise

2½ tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons sweet pickle cubes

1 (3-pound) cabbage, finely chopped

STIR together first 3 ingredients.

ADD cabbage; toss well to coat. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

NOTE: For testing purposes only, we used Miracle Whip Salad Dressing for mayonnaise.

PORK BACKBONE AND RICE

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PKEP: 5 MIN., COOK: 2 HRS.

This richly flavored dish is similar to chicken bog, a regional favorite.

2 pounds pork backbones

1 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1½-inch cubes

6 cups water

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups uncooked rice

BRING first 5 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1½ hours or until meat is tender.

STIR in rice; cover and cook over low heat 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is done. (Do not stir.) Fluff rice with a fork, and serve. VIC BITHEA III

LATTA, SOUTH CAROLINA

NOTE: Pork backbones are also sold as "country-style ribs."

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Nov 2003
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved