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.

July 1978 • The 1970s saw the beginning of a tourism wave to North Carolina’s coast. Washington’s waterfront downtown was redeveloped, Beaufort pivoted from a fishing town to a vacation destination, and, in 1971, the first Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival celebrated the area’s shrimping community.

Yield: 4 servings.

1 pound fresh medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup warm water

In a large mixing bowl, toss shrimp with flour to coat. In a shallow skillet or frying pan on medium heat, add oil and butter. Add shrimp and any extra flour. When shrimp begin to turn pink, flip them over and reduce heat to low. Add salt and pepper, and stir in 1 cup of warm water. Cover with lid and simmer for 3 minutes to let gravy thicken. Serve over rice or cornbread.

— Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells