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Brunswick Stew! Light Bread or Soda Crackers?
- Thread starter Artfuldodger
- Start date
Sounds like we should plan a NC in GA reunion...lol
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Roscoe’s Kountry Kitchen in Crawford, Georgia, in the late 1960s and through the 1970s became locally famous for Turtle Mull. Which kind of turtle? “Well, this here one is a mud turtle, and this is a snapper, and rest is just pure old turtles.” A native of Social Circle, Roscoe Long learned his culinary art there. “The mull is served in big bowls with plenty of crackers. It contains ground-up turtle meat, potatoes, onions, red pepper, juice of garlic, and milk. It sticks to the ribs.” Roscoe Long realized that even in 1970 he was the conservator of a waning tradition. “I’m the only restaurant around that serves turtle mull or soup or stew—call it whatever you want. Not a lot of people make it, and in the old days most everyone made it, but now they don’t.” (“Turtles go to Roscoe’s,” Augusta Chronicle, August 31, 1970, 24).
He said he was the last restaurant in Georgia to serve Turtle Mull but even that's been awhile. It's weird how even popular foods fall out of favor. I mean I can see why with turtle meat but not chicken.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Yeah, I recently read about it in relation to the Cracker culture and Key Lime Pie. My Dad had a friend that had a cabin off Cross Creek. We used to fish in both lakes and I do remember a restaurant on the creek. I've never ate there.
I'm assuming they have "turtle" on the menu. When I was growing up we occasionally had soft shell turtle stew made with turtles out of the Ocmulgee River.
You missed out on some good eating. Cracker style food including cooter stew, which is Old South for softshell turtle. That stuff is delicious, comparable to gopher tortoise stew.
mrs. hornet22
Beach Dreamer
There is a small town we go though on our way to the beach I think it's in S.C. and they have a big sign that stays up at all time. Reads Cooter Fest. I guess they have a big Cooter Fest every year. Never knew it was a soft shell turtle. Always wondered why there is a turtle painted on the sign. 
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
That would be Allendale. We've been through it many times on the way to various beaches but I've never been to the Cooter Festival.There is a small town we go though on our way to the beach I think it's in S.C. and they have a big sign that stays up at all time. Reads Cooter Fest. I guess they have a big Cooter Fest every year. Never knew it was a soft shell turtle. Always wondered why there is a turtle painted on the sign.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
I've only talked to a few older people 30 or so years ago that remember eating gopher tortoise stew. I do know they were a bit more popular during the depression.
Not personally knowing, I think I'd rather have the turtle one, lol.
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
There is a small town we go though on our way to the beach I think it's in S.C. and they have a big sign that stays up at all time. Reads Cooter Fest. I guess they have a big Cooter Fest every year. Never knew it was a soft shell turtle. Always wondered why there is a turtle painted on the sign.
I think what Nic is saying is it was what an Old School Florida Cracker called a Cooter. Just briefly looked on Google and soft shell turtles were used for Cooter Stew. Sorta like that speckled perch vs crappie thing. Or Old School bass in Georgia was a trout.
And gopher tortoises were just gophers.
I'm not sure what they use nowadays and in Allendale. Well looks like they don't;
"There's also entertainment and an assortment of food, The one exception is no turtle meat is served." To them Cooter is just another name for turtles.
Reading cooter is derived from an African slave word Kuta which means turtle. Somewhere in time they assigned certain turtle species with that name.
I didn't know that. Learn something every day.
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mrs. hornet22
Beach Dreamer
Dang Allendale is where H22 grew up. Never been to the festival either, but my son's wife stopped to get a Cooter Fest T-shirt on her last trip to the beach.
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GeorgiaGlockMan
Senior Member
Soda crackers 99% of the time.
Today's stew went down pretty good with some of those new ritz flat crackers tho.
Today's stew went down pretty good with some of those new ritz flat crackers tho.
Dr. Strangelove
Senior Member
Wow, nice! Thanks for the link!
bread for me.
Dr. Strangelove
Senior Member
Well, I've eaten many a cooter stew in my day but I never got a t-shirt for it. I'll have to check out this Cooter Festival. Sounds like my kinda celebration, 'cause I like turtles.
Turtle soup is the best, check out "Old Man and The Boy" by Robert Ruark, he talks about raiding turtle nests on the beach and frying up turtle eggs for breakfast. Also taking 3-4 foot around turtles and making stew. This all happened on the OBX in the late 19 teens through the 20's and thirties before WWII.
Turtle soup is the best, check out "Old Man and The Boy" by Robert Ruark, he talks about raiding turtle nests on the beach and frying up turtle eggs for breakfast. Also taking 3-4 foot around turtles and making stew. This all happened on the OBX in the late 19 teens through the 20's and thirties before WWII.
C.Killmaster
Georgia Deer Biologist
I would pay handsomely for their cornbread recipe, it is the best I've ever had. I used to have regular meetings over that way and we ate at Southern pit every time, but I don't get over there often enough now.
C.Killmaster
Georgia Deer Biologist
If you turned that camera 90 degrees and went 200 yards you would see a 7 year old little C.killmaster playing in the yard!
gawildlife
Banned
Their cornbread is really good but I make better.
