My dad worked for Flint Wholesale in Columbia, Mississippi and often called on Mrs. Leatha at Leatha’s Barbeque to sell her cooking supplies. It was a little bitty barbeque joint in Foxworth, Mississippi located under the highway bridge in a small, wood-framed building. All of Mrs. Leatha’s children worked at the restaurant. I can vividly remember a couple of things about the place. First, no one used a pen or pad when taking orders. Everyone called out his or her order to one of Mrs. Leatha’s daughters, they would repeat the order back, and then disappear into the kitchen. Second, they served a basket of warm old-fashioned heat and serve rolls with a side of this special sauce, which was also served warm, while you waited for your meal. For entertainment, Mrs. Leatha’s son visited each table taking song requests. He would sing at the top of his lungs and knew the words to most every song, especially the songs by his favorite artist, Michael Jackson. Anyway, Mrs. Leatha shared this recipe with my dad on one of his frequent sales calls. You will love it.
Mrs. Leatha's Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon celery seed 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar 1 small bottle of Heinz 57 4 cups of brown sugar 1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup bacon grease
Generous dash of hot sauce 1 gallon of Ketchup
Directions: Combine all ingredient in a large pot and simmer for 30 minutes. This recipe makes a little over a gallon so you will need some jars for storage.