Just for Fun

Food and drink do much to define the flavor of a region or place and here are two local favorites.

You may want to reduce the proportions for the first one.

Chatham Artillery Punch

2 gallons of tea (green tea—I pound tea to 2 gallons water. Soak overnight in tin bucket and strain.)

Juice of 3 dozen lemons5 pounds brown sugar2 gallons Catawba wine2 gallons Santa Cruz rum1 gallon Hennessy (3-Star) brandy1 gallon dry gin1 gallon rye whiskey2 quarts cherries2 quarts pineapple cubes10 quarts champagne

Mix the tea with lemon juice, preferably in a cedar tub, then add brown sugar and liquors.

Let this mixture “set” for at least a week, or preferably 2 weeks, in covered container.

After “setting” period and when ready to serve, pour over a cake of ice. Never chill in refrigerator or used crushed ice.

When this is done, add cherries, pineapple cubes and champagne, pouring slowly and mixing with circular motion. The punch is now ready to serve

Low Country Shrimp Boil

6 pounds raw shrimp (headed) in shells1 pound butter, (reserve ¾ pound for serving with corn)½ cup saltTabasco sauce16 ears of corn, broken in half5 pounds smoked sausage links or sweet Italian sausage

Sauce:3 cups catsup1 teaspoon horseradish, or to tasteDash of lemon, to tasteDash of Worcestershire sauce, if desired

Wash and rinse shrimp. Cut sausage in 2 to 3 inch lengths. Fill one 8 to 10-quart pot (or two smaller ones) half full of water. Add 1/2 half cup butter and salt to water and bring to a boil. Add Tabasco sauce.Put corn in water and boil 5 minutes. Add sausage to water and boil 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp to water and boil 3 minutes or until shells begin to separate from shrimp. Drain and serve from one large bowl, serving butter with corn and sauce with shrimp.

This is great cooked outdoors if you have a gas burner.

In the low country, this is often served poured in a heap on newspapers spread on tables.

No plates. No forks.

From Savannah Style A Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc. 1980

Imagine a cool evening in late fall or early spring, beside a gently flowing river with a soft wind soughing through the live oaks overhead--perfection!

From Savannah Style A Cookbook by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc. 1980

Imagine a cool evening in late fall or early spring, beside a gently flowing river with a soft wind soughing through the live oaks overhead--perfection!