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2002 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2
Designating Brunswick Stew Day at the General Assembly.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 4, 2002
Agreed to by the Senate, February 28, 2002

WHEREAS, by act of the 1988 General Assembly, Brunswick County was proclaimed the birthplace of the "gastronomic miracle" known as Brunswick Stew; and

WHEREAS, despite the attempts of pretenders from other states, Virginia's claim as the capitol of Brunswick Stew was reaffirmed in 1999 when Brunswick County stewmaster Jeff Daniel was declared World Champion of Brunswick Stew; and

WHEREAS, Brunswick Stew has a long and glorious history in the Commonwealth, beginning in 1828, when camp cook Jimmy Matthews, faced with the problem of feeding a hunting party on the Nottoway River, first combined squirrel, bacon, onions, butter, and stale bread into a thick concoction that pleased the members of the party; and

WHEREAS, with the help of former members of the General Assembly Creed Haskins and George Dromgoole, Brunswick Stew later became a fixture at Southside political gatherings; and

WHEREAS, over the years, Brunswick Stew, with the addition of such ingredients as chicken, corn, tomatoes, and lima beans, has become even more ambrosial; and

WHEREAS, when the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce began a campaign in the late 1980s to promote economic growth in the County, Brunswick Stew served to remind the public of the economic development opportunities in Brunswick County; and

WHEREAS, in 1988 the General Assembly specifically authorized "the serving of Brunswick Stew on the Capitol grounds" during the General Assembly session; and

WHEREAS, "Brunswick Stew Day" has since become an honored and popular annual tradition at the Capitol, where hundreds warm their stomachs and spirits with a hearty serving of the "celestial sustenance known as Brunswick Stew"; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the fourth Wednesday in January, in 2002 and in each succeeding year, be designated Brunswick Stew Day at the General Assembly; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerks of the House of Delegates and the Senate be directed to note this auspicious occasion on the official Calendars of the House of Delegates and the Senate so that members may be reminded to partake of the unique delights of the authentic Brunswick Stew.