Brunswick stew, the beloved winter braise of meat and veggies, returned to the capitol in Richmond Tuesday. It’s a regular feature of Virginia’s legislature and a nice chance for members of both parties to honor Virginia traditions.
The pouring of stew may not make the best radio (click the play button above to judge for yourself). But as portions were doled out Tuesday, lawmakers, like Richmond Democratic Delegate Betsy Carr, welcomed the chance to warm up with a Commonwealth classic.
“Brunswick Stew has always been one of my favorites," Carr said after a sip of stew. "It’s my 16th year and it's always wonderful!”
Kevin Pair is the Brunswick County stew meister this year. He’s been in the stew business for about 20 years, starting off with fundraisers for the local fire department, but he’s kept it up and said he raised about $50 thousand dollars last year.
So, what’s his secret for the best Brunswick Stew?
“Ahh, time. I always do about 8 hours to cook," Pair said. "It takes about 8 hours to cook. I could give you my recipe, usually it's just the timing, when you put the ingredients in.”
Lynchburg Republican Delegate Wendell Walker, a native of Macon, Georgia, said Brunswick, Georgia’s version may be his favorite, but he still loves the local batch too, even when being in the minority hurts his legislation.
“(slurping noises) aww man. This just made my day," Walker said. "Even though my votes aren’t going good, the Brunswick stew is going great.”
Governor Abigail Spanberger did visit the site early Tuesday morning where the bipartisanship continued - photos showed the governor stirring the pot with Brunswick County Republican Senator Emily Jordan to her right.
