Photo: Abner “Bear” and Irene Mann /
The blog post on Haywood County stew a few weeks ago generated a lot of messages and emails. One of my favorites came from my cousin Sandra, whose grandmother, Velma Irene Castellaw Mann (1904-1991), was a sister of my grandmother, Elizabeth Castellaw Williams (1915-1998).
You assume the grandchildren of your children will know each other, but that does not always happen. Sandra and I met only because we both became interested in genealogy and share the same great-grandparents, Robert Edward “Bob” Castellaw (1868-1954) and Zula Zera Watridge Castellaw (1875-1940). Sandra also helped get the Castellaws together for last year’s Castellaw reunion at Holly Grove Baptist Church in Haywood County, Tennessee.
She remembers her grandparents, Abner “Bear” Mann Sr. (1902-1966) and Irene Castellaw Mann, making Haywood County stew in a huge black pot over a fire in their backyard.
I really like the photo of her grandparents she sent me because they look like they are taking a break from filming “The Andy Griffith Show.”
Sandra’s mother took the recipe they used back then and created one we city folk can use since it only calls for one chicken instead of 18.
Haywood County Stew
12 ears corn, cut off the cob and ground, not young corn
10 to 12 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
10 medium pods okra
2 medium white or red potatoes, chopped
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste, enough sugar to reduce tomato acidity
1 baking hen, cooked until it falls off the bone, with meat pulled from the bone
3-pound roast, cooked until it falls apart, then shredded
Broth from the cooked meats
Put the onions, pepper, potatoes and okra in the meat broth and begin cooking. Add the shredded meat, then add the tomatoes and corn. After the mixture comes to a boil, stir constantly or it will stick. Turn the heat down to medium and cook 45 minutes to an hour. If the mixture becomes too thick, add hot water.
Enjoy.
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