For nine decades, Our State has made its way into homes across North Carolina, the United States, and the world. To celebrate, every month this year, we’re paying tribute to the readers who inspire us, offering a taste of our earliest recipes, and revisiting old stories with new insights. Follow along to find out how our past has shaped our present.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
November 10, 1951 • Originally prepared with onions and squirrel meat and cooked over a campfire after a day of hunting, Brunswick stew has evolved into a beloved barbecue dish (squirrel now optional). This recipe comes from Mary Scott, wife of Gov. William Kerr Scott, and originally called for “1 hen.”
1 whole chicken, approximately 5 pounds
2 cups corn, frozen
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups lima beans, frozen
2 cups sweet onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 pound chopped barbecue
2 cups cut okra, frozen
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Saltine crackers (optional)
Place whole chicken in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add 8 cups cold water or enough to just cover chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook chicken until bones can be easily removed, approximately 45 minutes. Remove chicken from stock and place in a large bowl to cool. Reserve stock.
Remove bones from chicken and discard. Pull or chop chicken into bite-size pieces and return to stock.
Add corn, tomatoes, lima beans, onion, and potato to stock. Cook on medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Add barbecue, okra, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes or until stew thickens. Add more water if stew is too thick. Serve with saltine crackers.
— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells
photograph by Matt Hulsman
July 29, 1939 • Longtime columnist “Carol Dare” was actually a pseudonym adopted by The State’s publishers’ wives over the years. Sibyl Goerch, the original publisher’s wife, created this recipe, which became so popular among readers that “Carol” republished it in subsequent issues.
Yield: Approximately 4 cups.
2 egg whites
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup orange juice
½ cup lemon juice (about 2 to 3 lemons)
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, boil sugar and 1 cup water for 5 minutes.
Pour sugar water over egg whites and gently fold ingredients together. Egg whites will not dissolve completely. Let cool.
Add 1 cup cold water, orange juice, and lemon juice to sugar mixture and stir. Freeze mixture overnight. Remove from freezer and let thaw, about 15 to 20 minutes. Use an electric mixer to incorporate partially frozen ingredients. Return to freezer until ready to serve.
— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells
photograph by Matt Hulsman
February 1988 • Unlike its Northern counterparts, Outer Banks clam chowder omits the cream and tomatoes to let the clams — often littlenecks for their sweetness — shine. This dish was a product of necessity for coastal fishing families, who ate what was available.
Yield: 4 servings.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
4 cups seafood stock
2 dozen fresh clams, shucked and chopped, or 2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juice reserved
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chives, chopped
In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until lightly browned. Add potatoes, clam juice, and seafood stock. Continue to cook until potatoes are just fork-tender. Add clams and reserved juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until clams are done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.
— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells
photograph by Matt Hulsman
July 31, 1937 • Traditionally known as “Sally Lunn,” these hot breads were allegedly one of George Washington’s favorites, according to an 1892 newspaper. Carol Dare remembers running to her grandma’s house as a child for a taste of the biscuit-like loaf.
Yield: 1 round loaf.
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
1 (2-ounce) yeast cake or 3 (¼-ounce) packs dry active yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles form on outer edge; do not boil. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar. Remove from heat and set aside until lukewarm. Crumble yeast cake or active yeast packets into milk and stir until dissolved. Place mixture in a large bowl and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
Add flour, eggs, salt, butter, and remaining sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add milk mixture. Using the dough hook attachment, mix all ingredients on medium speed until a stiff dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Grease hands liberally with vegetable oil and place dough into a large, well-greased Dutch oven. Rub excess oil over top of dough. Allow dough to rise until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake for 45 minutes.
— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells
Eleven Our State authors share stories about the role light plays in their holiday celebrations.
For more than 50 years, a dazzling chandelier has hung in the dining room of the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. Only recently has its remarkable backstory been fully illuminated.
At Burge Flower Shop, Randolph County residents find comfort, joy, and inspiration by the bouquet.
A pair of mother-daughter innkeepers inherited a love of hosting from their expansive family. At Christmastime, they welcome guests to their historic lodge in Stanly County.
