Chocolate Gravy and Biscuits in Appalachia

I recently did this video for the North Carolina Folklife Institute, they graciously allowed me to share it with you too.
I love chocolate gravy! Its one of my favorite traditional Appalachian recipes. Sunday morning breakfasts were always extra special when Granny made chocolate gravy and biscuits. She usually made sausage gravy or bacon gravy for the boys and Pap, but Granny and me loved chocolate gravy and usually ate the whole bowl 😀
#Appalachia #Appalachianfoodways #chocolategravyandbiscuits

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

🍳Purchase my eCookbook - 10 of My Favorite Recipes from Appalachia here: etsy.me/3kZmaC2

[@sherrimiller5258]

One of my favorite stories I heard: A woman was preparing a roast for the oven. She cut one chunk of meat off the end, making it flat on one end. Someone asked her why she did that and she said it was how her mother did it. It got her wondering why, so she called her mother to ask. She laughed at her daughter and told her it’s because her baking pan was so small, she had to cut the ends off to make it fit the pan! That story exemplifies how much of an impact our family has on us. 😀😀😀

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

@@sherrimiller5258 So true!

[@aprilrain4296]

@@CelebratingAppalachia I watched a video of you making gravey from bacon oil, but I can't find it now. Can you help?

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

@@aprilrain4296 I believe it's one of the My Life in Appalachia ones-maybe one of the first few. Let me know if you don't find it and I'll go back through them 😀

[@aprilrain4296]

@@CelebratingAppalachia Yup, part 1. Thanks!! Maybe you can do a video about what you make ur chicken feed with next porfavor? 😁

[@elizabethshaw734]

Yes! My grandmother made biscuits with cream! Two ingredient biscuits and everybody loved them and nobody could make them but by 8 years old I could make her biscuits! She died when I was ten but she's been with me my whole life! :-)

[@donnareeweeks6180]

( Hugs )❤️

[@CC-te5zf]

My great grandmother taught me to cook her version of biscuits and bacon gravy in 1976 at her little house in North Georgia. I can still see what she was wearing that day and I remember exactly how she put it all together. I still do it that way and raised my boys on it, and taught my wife’s family in the Philippines how to cook it on one of our visits. I know exactly what you mean about her being there with you! I read your comment and cried. But I also smiled and looked up. She’s always with me. I can’t wait to see her again. God bless you and thanks for sharing. 👍🏻🙏🏻❤️🇺🇸

[@billwhite7099]

I saw this recipe last night, and woke up this morning and made them. I've struggled making biscuits, I'm a good cook, but good biscuits have plum evaded me. This recipe was quick, it didn't make a mess of the kitchen and they were delicious. Hands down will be my go to biscuit recipe. My granny wasn't much of a cook, but she was a lovely woman and did teach me how to play poker. Lol. Merry Christmas

[@CC-te5zf]

@@billwhite7099 Merry Christmas!

[@billwhite7099]

@@CC-te5zf Merry Christmas

[@jerrygraham5432]

You're an excellent storyteller.

[@gerardjohnson2106]

I agree.

[@CANDGIRL271]

She is. She calms my nerves.

[@peggydeffley2194]

Also, I notice you say “fuhther “ instead of “further”, the way Daddy did. Thanks so much, Tipper, for walking us back home.

[@Vonrak]

The older I get, the more I go back to that accent of my childhood. My grand kids get a kick out of it. I want to remind them of the people there from💯

[@theprofessionalwisdomseeker]

We’re from the foothills just east of Charlotte and my mawmaw only made chocolate gravy and biscuits when it was snowing. When I saw your video title it made me cry. Thank you so much for reminding me that it’s ok to be proud of your heritage 💓

[@kimberlykusiak2526]

Me too, family from Tennessee

[@LawandaFinch]

I am from Oklahoma but I am Cherokee Indian and I have a feeling my ancestors brought with them a lot of Appalachia traditions and recipes. My Nanny passed down a lot of these same recipes to me. Chocolate gravy was our favorite my nanny made. We usually got them on Thanksgiving morning and Christmas morning. If was quick fast and in a hurry so that they could get started on our Holiday meal. Oh the memories…. My nanny only used cocoa, butter, sugar and milk no flour. God bless from Texas.

[@MrJdiddy328]

You have such a beautiful voice, I could listen to you telling stories for hours.

[@jerryturner507]

My aunt moved from Arkansas to California in the 40's and took a job as an house keeper for a wealthy family. She started making chocolate gravy for the two kids the mother found out and told her not to make that for her kids. She said chocolate gravy was eaten by Poor people and they were not poor. The kids begged her to make it so she did from time to to.

[@michelleelmore5533]

Thank you for sharing. It’s sad the ignorance of people. Food is Love in another form !

[@kathyloomis3107]

I’m from Arkansas and we have had chocolate gravy. It is delicious ❤️❤️❤️

[@clarencegreen3071]

I grew up with chocolate gravy. Still make it every now and then. I do this: Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a pan. Add 3 Tbs flour and brown for a couple of minutes. Add 2 cups milk. Give it a stir, and then . . . Mix well 3 Tbs cocoa into 1 cup of sugar. Add this mixture to the pan and stir in. Bring it to a boil over low heat and it should thicken right up. If it starts to get too thick, add a bit of water. Serve over hot biscuits with butter. (Mixing the cocoa with the sugar keeps the cocoa powder from making floaters. You're welcome.)

[@darlahadley5575]

Thanks! 😂

[@mountainlace7618]

This is the way I was taught to make chocolate gravy too. My grandma taught me to make this about 55 yrs ago, as I'm 67 now. It's held up thru the "test of time" 🤗

[@janetrogers5429]

This was my dad's recipe

[@gordangraham]

Can you use the chocolate pieces instead of powder?

[@clarencegreen3071]

@@gordangraham I've never used solid chocolate in my cooking so I can't give you a good answer. I think you would have to bring the milk up to temperature very slowly in order to give the chocolate time to melt before the thickening takes place. Worth a try, I think!

[@tinastone3772]

I was a caregiver for an elderly couple and they both were born and raised in the mountains. Along with chocolate gravy, she also taught me how to make apple gravy and tomato gravy. Those were usually always served on biscuits or cornbread. She also was so kind to teach me how to make chow chow and shared a ton of stories with me.

[@jeffhendricksen7945]

Our momma would make chocolate gravy and her delicious homemade biscuits when it was cold outside. We would have her biscuits pretty much every day with of course gravy but chocolate gravy was a special treat. R.I.P. Mom. Until we meet in Heaven. xxxooo

[@rough-hewnhomestead5737]

My Mom said that her Mother used to make chocolate gravy and that everyone loved it! (Mom came from a family of 10 children.) My Mom never made it--said she didn't know how "Mother" made it. I have always thought it was odd how far away from how her parents did things my Mom went. She got married in the late 50's and I think it was the fashion to 'leave the farm' , go to town, and do things the easy way. I have looped back around to my Grandparents' ways--all 4 of them were country people and farmers to different degrees. My Mom's Mother used herbal medicine (almost exclusively) to treat her family's illnesses and I have a great interest in that, too.....so much so that I studied to become a clinical herbalist. (She still knew more than me because experience is the best teacher.) Your chocolate gravy looks and sound delicious and you are right---those Grandmothers were brilliant in how they figured to stretch the food rations! God bless!

[@herdfan697278]

My mother used to make “tomato gravy”. It was really quite delicious! She added sugar to the gravy.

[@jmanranger7271]

Yummy

[@delorestaylor8114]

My momma made it for my daddy 😻

[@mamav6186]

We still make mater gravy in the Summer...

[@ronniesullins2861]

Had tomato gravy for the first time several months before my Momma past away and I asked her why she never made it and she smiled real big and said son it always reminded me of just how poor we were growing up and at times that's all we had to eat for day's. Funny how something we enjoy today is something that kept our Families alive through the toughest times.

[@milkman1944]

I love gravy over sliced tomatoes, My boss was riding with me one time to his other terminal in Del Rio. We stopped at a little restaurant between Austin and San Antonio for breakfast. He was from Mississippi and when I ordered sliced tomatoes and gravy, he'd never heard of eating tomatoes that way.

[@Alexander_Grant]

I'm stuck watching these videos after I've left my state. I never had chocolate gravy, but I think my family did things a little bit more Cajun. There is this sense of home when I hear you talk though, and I've never appreciated it until watching stuff like this, sharing recipes with your neighbors, talking about what you do to your dishes. It wasn't until some of my family members passed away I really wanted it back, everybody has their own little twist on things, I come back home and my brother is cooking up something crazy every time. It never disappoints. As a mid 20s guy, these are really wholesome and nostalgic videos, and I hope you continue with this. It sounds like home and family that has passed away to me.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Alexander-so glad you feel a sense of home when you watch my videos!

[@dylancrockett3822]

All my life I thought my mom just made this recipe up. I never knew other people ate this. Growing up my friends would spend the night and my mom would make this for breakfast and my friends just loved this!! I believe we were the only family in town that made this.

[@Elizabeth-ed8ex]

My Aunt June in Missouri used to make it for us. Only one in my family who ever did. Not sure where she got the recipe.

[@angeliaphillips]

I'm from Kentucky and grew up on chocolate gravy with biscuits. My Hoosier kin called it poor man's pudding. It's still a family favorite!

[@larrymontgomery3833]

I love it. When you started to spoon the graveyard on to the biscuit I teased up. Overwhelming memories of my momma. Us kids loved our chocolate gravy. I am 77 years old and i still mis my momma and that gravy. Thank you

[@hereigns7221]

This comment is so heartwarming. There is nothing like an Amazing momma ❤️

[@monica1811]

Beautiful comment.

[@susiewomack9104]

My parents were from central Kentucky, and she made chocolate gravy all my life.Her Mom taught her

[@coffeengrace8973]

I grew up on a farm in Middle TN. When my Mom or Grandma would make a cake, they would never put icing on it, and called it a Puddin, pronounced ‘pood-en’, but always made chocolate gravy to go over it. They used evaporated milk/water to make it and always in a black skillet. If we ever asked for chocolate icing, they would make it in the black skillet almost the same way but using butter. Then after it boiled several minutes, would take it off the heat and beat it until it was thick enough to spread over the cake. Would take forever bc you had to beat it until it cooled down. Hand/arm exhausted! Tasted like fudge- so rich! If she had any left over we would fight over what was left in the skillet and she would leave extra bc we loved eating it on saltine crackers. I have so many memories of my Mom sitting on our back porch where it was cooler, beating that icing in the black skillet. My other grandmother made a sweet white gravy to eat over cakes, but I unfortunately never got that recipe. Prob the same except without cocoa, but wish I knew!

[@milkman1944]

Oh Lordie, I hadn't thought of that in years, I loved that cake with chocolate poured over it. My aunt could make the best moist chocolaty chocolate cake, but she put chocolate icing on it, still makes my mouth water.

[@elainemurley9509]

I loved my grandma's pudding cake

[@CC-te5zf]

There’s more to what you’re doing than just recipes. I feel like I’m home when you and your family are cooking and sharing stories. I’m so glad I found this channel. The world is a big mess right now, but families can still get together and enjoy the simple things in life. I suppose in a way, God used our grandparents to prep us for these uncertain times in many ways. We don’t just cook in the kitchen, we pray, we laugh, we cry, and sometimes we might raise our voice. We prepare our meals there and bond as a family. I like the kitchen much better than the room with the TV. Thanks and God bless.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thank you Chad! I'm so glad you enjoy our videos and that they make you feel at home 😀

[@stevehood79]

My mother made chocolate gravy and homemade biscuits for breakfast when we were kids! We still have it today!

[@Tinneus]

I could listen to you talk for the rest of my life. I swear the more you talk the more I want you keep talking. There aren't a lot of people I've ever thought that about. Thanks for the wonderful videos!

[@tinah5841]

My family is from Arkansas I have a recipe for chocolate gravy, that has been passed down at least 4 generations. Ours is close we use milk then add butter and vanilla before serving. Vanilla is a newer addition. I think, the food ways of an area are affected by the origins and the heritage of its inhabitants Many families in the south have family recipes for chocolate gravy. Also, like you mentioned some are horrified by the notion. I think, it is regional but intertwined with heritage. Every family has a different recipe and so much of that knowledge is lost, as it was never written down.

[@sherylcole8627]

I make choclate gravy, my mom taught me she was raised on little Robinson Creek near Pikeville KY.

[@bouffa1979]

My Mammaw used to make it too, and she was also from Pikeville, KY (Feds Creek)

[@Sirmullins]

My mama and mom made it too, l was born and raised in Jenkins, Ky

[@someonesprincess3]

Love Pike County KY. I used to live in Pikeville . Miss going to Hillbilly Days !!

[@tomwyant9297]

We occasionally had chocolate gravy when I was growing up, but we had "creamed tomatoes over biscuits" all the time. I believe some people call it Tomato Gravy. My parents always raised a huge garden and "put up" hundreds and hundreds of pints and quarts of garden foods each summer and fall. Canned tomatoes were always plentiful, making creamed tomatoes over biscuits a very cheap meal for our family. It's still one of my three favorite comfort foods, but my wife refuses to eat it. Any time she's gone for the day, I make it for my meal. It just tastes like home. Oh ,and by the way, I also break up my biscuits rather than cutting them open.

[@heirofdisa]

May I ask how you're making your tomato gravy??? I'm curious to know how that would be over biscuits with some salt pork or ham!

[@tomwyant9297]

@@heirofdisa, I'd be thrilled to share with you how my mom and dad, and now I, make Creamed Tomatoes on Biscuits. Here are the directions: I quart crushed tomatoes (32 oz.) 2 - 3 Tablespoons sugar 5 shakes of a salt shaker and 5 pepper 2 Tablespoons butter 1/4 cup water 2 Tablespoons cornstarch Start baking your biscuits. When you get your biscuits in the oven, start the tomatoes. In a small bowl, stir together the water and cornstarch; set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper, and butter. Over medium heat, bring the tomato mixture to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, stir in the cornstarch and water slurry. Boil one minute more and remove from the heat. Break up a couple of baked biscuits in a serving bowl, spoon tomatoes over the biscuits, and top with a pat (or two) of butter. Enjoy!

[@heirofdisa]

@@tomwyant9297 thank you so much!! i can't wait to try this 💯 i appreciate you keeping your family's recipe alive, this is awesome.

[@tomwyant9297]

@@heirofdisa, you are so welcome. If you want more of my recipes, check out my Facebook recipe page called, "Come Sit At My Table". I'm just an old country cook, but hopefully you'll like some more of my family's recipes.

[@fuschiaflower7643]

I’m from southeastern Alabama and my granny made chocolate gravy and we had tomato gravy too.✌️💕

[@rvlifeafterretirement1498]

I grew up in Southern WV and my Grandmother made it for us when we would spend the night at her house. She served it in a bowl. We would dip a piece of toast in it and eat it with our fingers. She made the toast in the oven under the broiler with four dabs of butter. Simply delicious!!

[@delorestaylor8114]

Yes indeed! Butter dot toast!

[@maryann5497]

Oh my gosh, I can't believe that you showed how to make chocolate gravy. My mother made chocolate gravy when we were kids. And it was always with biscuits and butter. It is one of my favorite memories of those years. My mom used can milk and water or milk if there was enough in the house for the gravy. Her biscuits were legend in our family, but unfortunately I don't remember what all she used. Thank you so much for the wonderful memories.

[@daniellelemond7426]

Gravy of any flavor has always been my weakness. Chocolate would rank as "comfort food" around here and made only during times when the families gathered during holidays. Dark bacon gravy over scrambled eggs and biscuits is still my favorite meal.

[@judyhulsey6014]

I grew up eating this chocolate gravy, made with water & biscuits and we always loved it. I've also made this for my children & grandchildren for over 50 years. My grandmother also made it, we're in Alabama so chocolate gravy has been a delight here for many years! ❤️

[@bradjayne3138]

Such great memories of my granny and mom making chocolate gravy. And I always made it for my sons and now have taught my sons’ wives to cook it. I told the girls that if they add milk that makes pudding-not gravy! LOL! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ My granny was from Tennessee and PaPa was from N. Carolina. All their kids grew up in Texas. Blessings from the ❤️ of Texas!

[@evilscience3164]

You are a lovely lady. God bless you.

[@mjwells100]

I’m so glad I found your channel! I just love the way you explain and demonstrate your cooking-and I LOVE your stories while you do it.♥️

[@contactjoy4140]

Oh how I LOOVE the sound of the insects! That's one of the best parts of the Country! So many natural sounds and at times those millions of insects make combined sounds that are deafening! I still love it! It only sounds like that in Appalachia...... I'm from the Appalachia part of Ohio, although my family moved to South Florida when I was 8 years old, in 1955. Those insect sounds take me right back to Ohio... to dusk in the country and in the deep country beautiful Summer days at any time of day..... I can even feel the Summer air on my skin when I hear that sound! Thank-you for the memories!

[@223rocks]

I grew up in Vance County NC. I have enjoyed watching you since it brings back memories. I’ve been in south central PA since 98 now and miss so many things about the south. The chocolate gravy is a new thing for me but the biscuits make my heart glow.

[@Ronibearable]

We have eaten what we call Chocolate Syrup & Biscuits for generations in our North Texas family. Ours is different, it's syrup not gravy. Recipe = twice as much sugar as water and then add cocoa, boil till coats a spoon. (1 cup sugar, 1/2 water, 1 or 2 T cocoa. Bring to a boil till it coats a spoon/is desired syrup thickness). Serve over buttered hot biscuits. Granny generally doubled or tripled that amount and my mom always added a tablespoon of light corn syrup to stop any crystallization in cooled leftovers. Can't tell you how many generations this goes back, but I do know that my Great Great Grandmother made this. I also suspect perhaps for the same reason, to stretch what little food there was. My Grandmother said that they were so poor that many many times the evening meal would be only a bowl of water gravy, because they had no milk or had to save the milk, and they ate this without even biscuits during the roughest times. (water gravy = lard, flour and water). Like you, I have rarely ran across anyone who has heard of Chocolate Syrup & Biscuits, though we had it most every weekend growing up. I do recall my Grandmother telling me "some people make chocolate gravy", but that they made the syrup because 1. it tastes better and 2. it was cheaper and saved the flour. I have made chocolate gravy, and agree that the syrup version is better, though that may be only because it's what I grew up with. I of course made it occasionally for my kids, and now make for my grandkids at times. Also, try heating the cream for your cream biscuits, see if you like them better using warm/hot cream. I have made them both ways and agree with others that the hot cream improves the biscuit, although I make regular buttermilk biscuits with crisco like your mother's method instead of cream biscuits. (I make Cream biscuits if I am out of ingredients)

[@goblinqueen4991]

My grandmother and great-grandmother always made us chocolate and biscuits just as you describe. We just called it "chocolate" not chocolate syrup, but that's what it was.

[@monicaholloway9026]

I was raised in Monroe county TN in the Cherokee National forest and my grandmother made it like this, more syrup than gravy we put peanut butter and butter to melt in it and poured over or ate with biscuits.

[@raisinggracie611]

I'm from Wisconsin. Family migrated from Kentucky before I was born. We have same recipe for what we call Biscuits and Chocolate. Same recipe. Tastes awesome. Love it.

[@raptorchic3042]

When I was staying with my daughters father, he had an aunt named, Aunt Coot. She made what we call Sopping Cocoa. Thats the name we call chocolate gravy. Ive never heard anyone call it chocolate gravy before, but thats exactly what it is. We lived in small little place called Mill Creek in NC. Everyone there is either related to each other or close to the family. She would make it for breakfast and its too die for! You could put it on pretty much any of your breakfast food. Its been a long time since Ive had it and got so excited to see this video for your recipe :):) Thank You for sharing it!

[@StarGazer2784]

I have heard of several different types of gravy but never chocolate gravy - it looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing your amazing stories, too. Hearing about different ways of life, the past, it makes one realize not only everything we currently take for granted, but also how far we have strayed from some of those ways of life that really should still be just as important today as they were back then - a sense of community, growing and preserving food, and a sense of responsibility to pass down knowledge.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Kristina-thank you for watching-and wow you said it just right-I so agree!!

[@brendauryga4336]

My grandma made chocolate gravy and I loved it.

[@sissinoklahoma2057]

Oh thank you, Tipper! This was my Aunt Bubba's biscuit recipe that she taught me but I somehow forgot. Last time I tried to make biscuits they weren't even fit for the dogs! Just made this recipe and it's as easy and delicious as I remember. My aunt would also sometimes fry a big single biscuit in a cast iron skilet and called that Hoecake. Delicious

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Wonderful!

[@tammyhoushour8070]

My husband's Aunt Altha made chocolate gravy and biscuits but most of us loved our chocolate gravy on fried potatoes. ..I know I thought yuk the first time I heard it but boy I changed my mind it's so so good. She made it like a thin pudding. She's been gone a long time now but I still make it sometimes but I sure do miss her.

[@TaniaLynn444]

Every Saturday morning...life was good in the 70s.

[@christinamichelle1985]

When I was in a children's home the lady cooked this and yummy

[@parnellbeth]

We always had our own milkcow when I was a kid so chocolate gravy was made with milk. Southern Ky.

[@markhurst3180]

I am from southern Arkansas and my grandma made chocolate gravy on special occasions for breakfast most of the time it was sawmill gravy or red eye gravy or sausage gravy. She also did not cut out her biscuits she hand rolled them. I learned at a early age how to cook by watching her.

[@bcaye]

I'm curious what you mean by hand rolling vs. cutting out biscuits? I roll out my dough then cut out individual biscuits. Details?

[@markhurst3180]

@@bcaye She pinched off a piece of dough and rolled it between her hands to form a ball then put it in her pan and patted it down a little. Google hand rolled biscuits

[@bcaye]

@@markhurst3180, okay, I get you. If there's a small piece of dough left over I do that. I like the crisp edges of cut biscuits, though. They get more flaky as well imo. From MO.

[@ArkieCal]

That was part of Christmas breakfast in Marion County Arkansas

[@robroberts1473]

My folks are from northwest Alabama. And my dad's absolute favorite breakfast was chocolate gravy and biscuits.

[@verribarry]

My family grew up in Hope, Arkansas and we would eat my Grandmas "Cocoa syrup " made with sugar.. corn syrup..cocoa powder...and other ingredients ...but no flour...it was more like a chocolate syrup than a gravy....poured over buttered biscuits torn into bite size pieces.

[@truelily7]

My Mama's family is from Emmet and family in Hope, Prescott, and Texarkana. Spent a lot of my life in those places. Never had chocolate gravy until I grew up and discovered it for myself. Love it! Regards to Hope for me.

[@sugarspicelifeasmr1721]

My family came to Texas from Appalachia (Kentucky) over 100 years ago and we eat chocolate gravy on biscuits! It was my favorite as a kid.

[@pamelaandrade6930]

Love listening to all your history and stories of Appalachia, I had never heard of chocolate gravy either, but then I’m an expat Australia. I’m going to try this for my Californian husband, he loves Southern cooking.

[@karlaneese9379]

I learned to make chocolate gravy from a little old lady from Arkansas when I was a young mom 25 years ago. It’s one of my favorite things!

[@gamerjaqi7873]

i have a supervisor from an old job i had in illinois would always talk about chocolate gravy. id never heard of it, shes from TN. Also went to cherokee as a teenager with my youth group. there was a big gathering at a Huge church there. We went out and did some renovations and helping the community. the house we worked at we build a wheelchair ramp, cleaned and painted the kitchen. The lady who owned the home was lovely and gave me a basket she had made as a gift. we would share the stuff we brought for lunch with the kids. like bringing a watermelon and stuff like that :) i tear mi biscuits up too :)

[@mynamesasummer]

My mammaw made biscuits and chocolate gravy and I never realized it was an Appalachian thing but it makes sense since she was born and bred in western NC. Thank you for bringing a sweet memory back ☺️

[@someonesprincess3]

I grew up having chocolate gravy and homemade biscuits with lots of homemade butter . There’s nothing like a hot biscuit covered with chocolate gravy, with lots of melted butter, oozing down the gravy and biscuits. I loved bacon served on the side with this too lol 👍🏼❤️👍🏼

[@dbeazrn3934]

Western NC-raised girl here. My mama didn’t make chocolate gravy, but she made the best biscuits ever made - IMHO. The mother of a childhood friend made the chocolate gravy. My mother would bring the biscuits & her mother would bring the gravy to the breakfasts we’d have at church for whatever gathering at the time. WOW!! Good stuff!! I was raised in Fairview, NC!! My parents were raised in the Reems Creek/Beech communities of NC. My great-grandfatherJeter Hensley built a log cabin that had his giant willow tree in the front. If you drove down Reems Creek, right before you got to the Vance Birth Place, you’d see his 100 year old log cabin & willow tree on the left hand side of the road. Both are gone now & my cousin lives on the property. We grew up swinging on those willow tree branches, walking down to the Vance Birth Place & playing on the grounds. The staff never minded as long as we didn’t go into any of the buildings. I sure do miss my mountains. Even now, when we travel back home, it seems like the mountains are disappearing with all of the homes, country clubs, etc. being built. It seems like not too long ago we’d go hiking, hunting ginseng where now there’s a country club community destroying the landscape. We love golf....but we love our mountains too. My grandfather taught me to play golf at the old Beaver Lake golf course & the old Grove Park Inn before all of the construction projects. So many people want to experience “mountain” living, but are destroying the very mountains that they seemingly came to enjoy. Thanks for the memories. God Bless!! ❤️🇺🇸🙏🏼🙏🏼🇺🇸❤️

[@timhood6970]

Us country folk here in NW Alabama was raised on chocolate gravy and biscuits and grits for breakfast, and still part of my breakfast menu on a regular basis now that I am 54!

[@alinthekeys]

Thanks, you took me home with this video. I just turn 66 years old and I sure can remember Sunday morning as a kid ,.My mother is from south Alabama and she would make chocolate gravy , biscuits and ham as a special treat. I can she her smiling now. Thanks for reminding me of those great memories!

[@jaredhopper4713]

reminds me of my mother such a great wholesome genuine country lady..These ladies make the world a better place.God bless you

[@Meadowsgrace66]

I'm from Tennessee and still live here and my grannie who lived next door to me made chocolate gravy for us. It was always one of my favorite meals for breakfast and still is. ❤😊❤

[@teresaruppe8247]

I live in the foothills of North Carolina.Grew up here and mawmaw made us chocolate gravy for breakfast a lot.We thought it was the greatest thing in the world.Hot biscuits with chocolate gravy.I'm sure we ate because it was cheap to make but,to us it was special.I make it for my grandkids now and they think it is the greatest food ever.Love your programs.Reminds me of all the things we did growing up.

[@Bearhntr]

I just discovered your channel and I LOVE it. I've recently moved to Kentucky from Long Island, NY to be with my huge family here. So much that you talk about rings a bell to me that I tear up sometimes and I'm a 54 year old grown man. It just brings back so many memories of time with my grandmothers (Mammal) and things they made and did. Unfortunately I didn't get to know my Grandfather's, they both passed right after I was born. Thank you for what you do. God Bless you and your family,

[@luannstewart9031]

Just came across your channel. Love this recipe as my Grandma who was from the upper, northwest corner of Alabama would fix this for us when we visited. I've been searching for a recipe. I believe she fixed it this way too. Thank you for sharing.

[@janetrogers5429]

Where in alabama

[@elizabethshaw734]

I make a thick biscuit I like the dough to be about an inch thick. Nobody else in my family could make biscuits besides my grandmother and me! Now my mother has passed away and she was my last living family member so there's nobody left but me and I don't have any close friends yet but I will be moving into a house in a neighborhood and I hope that will give me the opportunity to make friends. I miss all of my baking and cooking at the holidays and a Christmas Eve I always had an open house people could come in watch a Christmas movie or just get a plate of food and go home whatever they wanted to do. I hope this coming next Christmas I will be doing that. :-)

[@ohkasani1507]

I ❤️ your way. The old way when you listen to the older one's. When they knew how to do... Everybody may not know the old ways. My Grans used to say we were "Smart" if you were young and do the old way.🥰

[@alexataylor5221]

Chocolate gravy and butter biscuits was such a treat when we visited my great grandmother in Murphy, Nc.! We always did a sweet and savory biscuits half . So awesome to hear these traditions being carried on. We are native georgians now . We are loyal white Lily fans too. Thank you for lovely video. !

[@jackvaughn4808]

East Tennessee . My Mama made it whenever she had leftover biscuits'. same way you described. Love it. Thanks for the memory.

[@elaineproffitt1032]

I watch you working with the flour and laugh! I would have flour all over me, the kitchen, and whoever walked through while I was pretending to cook. I am a very good cook most of the time, just messy. Love your show, love your cooking, love the music that your beautiful family plays and sings.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

😊 thank you

[@lisatyler297]

Grew up on chocolate gravy and when the family gets together for breakfast, it’s a must. Granny made it for all the grandkids and even now, as old as I am, I still love it and I think about my sweet Granny. Born and raised in Blount County, Alabama. Her recipe was even shorter - no flour. The amount of water used determines how thin or thick it is.

[@Nightriser271828]

It's interesting to look back on old childhood memories with new eyes. Anyway, I'm from the Shenandoah valley in VA and never heard of chocolate gravy! I'd love to try this.

[@livingmyteenagedream]

My mama talked about eating chocolate gravy with her relatives in South Carolina. Also, her mama made biscuits using a big wooden bowl full of white lily flour, with a well in the middle for milk and a good layer of lard on her fingers.

[@Greeneyedtadpole]

Grew up eating this in 1960s and 1970s. Mama would fix this for us 5 kids and we loved it. I grew up in northeast Georgia.

[@debrahanson2934]

My husband was born and raised in Oklahoma by parents who go back 3 generations on both sides and he grew up on Chocolate gravy and biscuits. Our children and now our grand's all love this.

[@bobana10]

My granny from Oklahoma she was a member of the Oklahoma Choctaw Nation, and she made us chocolate gravy over homemade biscuits and bacon.I loved it still do.

[@robinhaupt9119]

Never heard of chocolate gravy but it sure sounds good. I'm in awe of your biscuit recipe! I just can't wait to try them, thank you! You are an excellent cook and storyteller.

[@kellijomathis8014]

My grandparents are from Franklin and Sylva and they used to make this all the time. :) They called the biscuits “cat head” biscuits. Lots of happy memories!

[@joshuadaugherty7979]

My daddy is from Jeleco TN and I never knew how much of my upbringing was Appalachian!!! Love it!

[@gammychickful]

I love the Blind Pig and Acorn,, subscribe to it and have for a long time.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Rose-thank you for your support!!

[@morganophelia5963]

That sounds good for a sweet breakfast with some milk 🥛

[@vickiebinegar6954]

We all love your channel mrs tipper and love you to u are such a great lady!!! Keep the video's coming lots of love and prayers from Somerset KY

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

Thanks so much!

[@cyw9254]

I'm originally from the foothills of the Missouri Ozarks and my grandma made it. My dad taught my wife who taught my daughter who still makes it. We still enjoy it and I'm in my 60's. Thank you for teaching the "old" ways. This was when life was better and families cared about one another. I also love how your family is so musical. What a blessing.

[@blushingmissouri78]

Im in the foot hills of Mo now and my grandma passed down chocolate gravy

[@crystalprice7858]

I’m from Oklahoma and growing up, chocolate gravy was a real treat. Actually, a lot of things you make I grew up eating. I don’t know my family’s history, but it makes me wonder if at some point they migrated from Appalachia.

[@katheedenny1982]

Chocolate gravy is well known in Alabama too.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

It's so good with biscuits 😀

[@mary1969100]

My sweet Aunt Jamie used to make chocolate gravy for us as kids. Gonna have to find out where her family was from. She was the only one I ever knew of to make it. We loved it. Miss her.

[@joycehampton9748]

I am from W. Tennessee and my mama made it for me. We loved it so much , I still make it for my grandkids. I'm 77 so it was around a long time in that part of the country.

[@hellyeah2299]

My Mamaw was forced to make this for me every time I went to her house.

[@debrahamlin5214]

I’ve never heard of anyone else who ate chocolate gravy and biscuits besides our family before.. my grandma used to make it and we all loved it. My grandma was from Oklahoma but grandpa was from Kentucky.. grandma may have learned to make it from his mother “granny”

[@marywest2896]

I live in arkansas and I grew up eating chocolate gravy and biscuits every day for most of my childhood....the best thing to eat!!!

[@juliagarza9942]

My Father grew up in Bennettsville, SC and Hamlet NC where there is rich history of a lot of Native American Indians and Scottish decedents. One of my favorite things to eat in the mornings for breakfast, because I did not like breakfast food so my dad would make me Chocolate Gravy over home made Biscuits. Thank your for sharing the recipe. Yummy.

[@messyjessy0420]

I really like you. I love your kind and gentle energy. I'm in west TN, but we're not very different. My ancestors made their way down through Appalachia over to the west part of the state to become farmers.

[@monamorgan8614]

My mom, who passed away 3 years ago at 93 years of age , cooked Chocolate Gravy for us too. She was born and raised in SE Oklahoma, it was a creamy sweet chocolate treat, like a pudding and she made it using butter cooked it in a sauce pan and served with Buttermilk Biscuits always👍🏻

[@flash80D]

Mom was from Harlan county Ky. She called her chocolate gravy , Doodle soup. She wud make it when we were kids. I still love it. She wud make me stir it so it wudnt stick to the pan while she fixed the rest of the breakfast. Great memories!!!

[@UKBIGBLUENATION1]

I've eaten chocolate gravy since I was a very small child. My grandmother always made it for me whenever we were at her and grandpa's home. I loved it so much, I would eat it until it just made me sick. I miss those days and although my sister's recipe is close, it still doesn't match that amazing flavor from grandma. Thanks for the memory.

[@jandoe2342]

I enjoy your videos. My mother grew up in Arkansas. Then she lived her whole married life in Illinois. When I was growing up Mom made us chocolate gravy and home made biscuits. None of my friends ever had it. It was such a treat but I don't recall if she used water or milk. I did make my own version of it a few times for my children and I used milk. I think the milk version of it ends up being more like a thin pudding. My mother would have turned 100 this year. God rest her soul. I miss her so.

[@mac5houstonatgmail]

Thank you! My Grandmother raised 9 children and 32 of us grandkids serving the Chocolate Gravy just like this. Even to breaking up the biscuit just like you do. The only difference was she had a milk cow so she would put a dollop of butter on the biscuit before covering with gravy. My family has continued this tradition with the great grands and great great grands.❤️

[@ginawallace3338]

You cook just like my granny. Not surprising were neighbors. My Granny lived 64 west in Ranger area. I live now in Bear Paw. Your channel brings back fond memories of her. Thank you!

[@chadhughes1938]

My grandmother in Central Kentucky would make chocolate and biscuits for us when we visited growing up.

[@terifaulkenberry8347]

I'm from Oklahoma and my mom used to make us chocolate gravy. My husband still loves it.

[@randyclary8144]

I grew up in Kermit Texas my dad was from Louisiana my mama was from Texas I’ve had the best of both worlds when it comes to food you very easily could be my family I’m Saying this because of your mannerisms and your cooking you would just fit I really enjoy listening and watching you makes me feel at home

[@joycejudd5109]

my people are from Alabama and Florida, and we never heard of chocolate gravy. However, about 4 years ago at our Bible camp, we had a nurse (male) visiting from Mississippi, and he asked if we served chocolate gravy with our biscuit breakfasts? We just looked at him. :-) So on Friday, the last breakfast for our week, he came into the kitchen and made chocolate gravy for our breakfast. The kids were thrilled! Personally, it was a little sweet...and tasted like it needed to be over ice cream, but it was quite tasty! Thank you for this video!! (and yes, like your hubby, I split my biscuits in half. But...I crumble my corn bread! Isn't that funny!)

[@romanticskeptc]

I remember visiting the holler as a child and after playing all day we'd come in and beg for food. My mother would tell us to go back out to play, but Aunt Benny would say, "Oh Rosie, them kids is hungry!" And suddenly there would be biscuits and chocolate gravy. In my memory it was the most delicious thing I'd ever eaten. I'm afraid to eat it as an adult because it's such a perfect memory that I don't dare touch it. Aunt Benny has been gone for years now. Thank you for bringing her back to me today.

[@CelebratingAppalachia]

🙂

[@leaann6445]

I grew up and still live in Weaverville, NC Beech community and I grew up with chocolate gravy and biscuits. Still love it!

[@madibawayne6314]

The first time I heard of chocolate gravy was thirty-three years ago. I live back in Virginia now. I lived in Morganton, N.C. from summer 1979 till 1983. I Love N.C. I wish I had never moved back to Virginia.

[@terriemartinez9989]

My aunt from Paducah Kentucky, makes chocolate gravy! Sunny side up eggs, fried taters, bacon, sliced tomato, and chocolate gravy!!!! YUM!