For the love of good gravy: An ode to my mother and the ways she;s wrapped me with her love and the ways she is always teaching me.  

Growing up in my family, gravy was a thing. We had it often and I’ll be honest, smothered dishes were not on my list of food items to delight in. There was a time when my parents tricked me, yes, TRICKED ME with smothered liver and onions, telling me it was steak! (the horror) and that’s the origin of where my  untrust of sauced items began. That was a long night at the dinner table. Liver, Gravy, rice… I was stressed.  But there was something interesting, something intriguing about this gravy substance often showing up on my plate.  A smothered pork chop, alongside a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes or warm buttery biscuits with gigantic piles of creamy sausage gravy. Most would find this joyful. At 9, I certainly did not.

But for the love of good gravy.

Still, I was intrigued.  Could it have been the care of the way the plate was prepared? Could it be the goodness of the ingredients? Was it the way mama stirred the gravy? Was it all of the above? I don’t know, but now it’s something I’ve grown to cherish.  And I didn’t realize just how much until a few months ago while watching the kitchen magic of my mother. Her gravy was love. Love throughout the fold and creases. Love with the stirring. Love made real with a watchful eye, so caerful not to burn the browned bits of goodness.

But for the love of good gravy.

Making gravy is one of the first cooking lessons I received by way of watching. Alongside a meal of roast, potatoes and carrots. Gravy class wa in session. The school of watching learned me a great deal. Viewing how a dish came together at the hands of my family is a special experience that I cherish.  It has earned me my chops as a goodie, I’m forever grateful and forever learning. The aroma of savory flavors filled the air and the sound of a lively gravy on the stove was music to my ears. Even if I didn’t appreciate the goodness then. 

To make this warm liquid goodness, you need a few essential ingredients – (verbal recipe to follow) meat drippings, flour, and stock or water. I’d always make  gravy with stock, but my mama made magic with water. She had a way of turning ordinary ingredients into something special. Often, she’d use the stock from whatever meat dish we would indulge in as a part of our meal. To start, mama would fry up some meat, such as chicken or beef. This meat would be well seasoned and well coated with flour. She’d gently brown it in a pan until cooked through. Once the meat was done, she would remove it from the pan and set it aside. The leftover drippings in the pan are what were used to make the gravy. These drippings were golden. Rich with fatty goodness and tons of flavor. Those drippings were little bits of love. Mama will then sprinkle some flour (seasoned!)  into the pan, using a whisk to stir it into the drippings until it formed a paste-like consistency. She’d cook the flour until it reached her favorite shade of brown. Oftentimes the same complexion as her mother, my Granny. This was roux magic.  It took time, but it came out perfect everytime. She would then season this batch one more time for good measure, tasting the browned bits to be sure they we’re ready for the liquid who would soon join then. After browning commenced, she’d slowly pour in the stock or water, gently whisking constantly to ensure there were no lumps. As the mixture heated, it would begin to thicken and become a delicious gravy. Simple, but a way love was shown. Whether it was a sausage gravy on a Christmas morning or a brown gravy with fried chicken, my mama’s gravy is the bar for which I set my standard. Making gravy is not only a tasty experience, but it’s also a great way to bond and learn from each other. So the next time you’re in the kitchen with your family, for the love of good gravy-and other dishes, be sure to ask all the things. Ask the tips and tricks and the “what it makes it so special” moments.  You’ll be glad you did. But for the love of good gravy.

Next time you need a good gravy vehicle, make my biscuits. Or, make some rice and pour it over the top,