I grew up in Ohio, but when Daddy retired, he wanted to go someplace warm and near the water because he was a fisherman. They moved to Florida shortly after I got married in 1988. Daddy was an ordained minister so when they arrived in town, they looked for a church.
They noticed how segregated the churches were there and that made my parents uneasy. They got the impression from some of the churches they visited that black people were discouraged from joining.
My parents could not live with that. He went to the pastor at an all black church in town and asked if he and my mom would be welcome to worship with them. The pastor said yes, and the congregation welcomed my parents in with open arms. They teased them and called them their 'token whites' and my parents thought that was hilarious. I liked that my parents saw something that troubled them and tried to make it right, as much as they could with their own lives and example.
And now for the food.
My parents went to the church's barbecue that year and my dad fell in love with the sauce. My mom asked for the recipe so she could make it at home and the ladies told her "Not yet. Ask us again next year." because they weren't quite sure they liked her enough to share their secret recipe!
The next summer when Mama was still there and had proven herself as a true friend, she got the recipe.Once Mama was trusted with this recipe, she made it often. <3
- 1 large bottle of ketchup
- 1 small bottle of tabasco
- 1 lb dark brown sugar
- The juice of 3 fresh lemons and also add the zest
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Add salt to taste
Combine all ingredients and simmer. Good on chicken, and... pretty much anything else.
