"P" is for pine bark stew

“P” is for Pine Bark Stew. “Communal stew” is the name that southern cooking authority Stan Woodward gives stews made in big batches and cooked over open fires in large cast-iron pots.  In the 1930 edition of Two Hundred Years of Charleston Cooking, the recipe for pine bark stew was attributed to Captain John A. Kelly of Kingstree, who made it a favorite dish of the Otranto Hunting Club. Most authorities agree on the ingredients: bacon, onions, potatoes, and several kinds of firm freshwater fish, which are layered and simmered slowly. The seasonings vary slightly; curry, saffron, thyme, butter, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce are all mentioned. The reason for the name pine bark stew is speculative, but the most common conjecture is simply that the stew was cooked over a fire kindled with pine bark.