One Georgia lawmaker has filed a bill to designate an official ‘green’ and an official ‘dipping sauce’ for the State of Georgia.
State Representative Angela Moore has introduced House Bill 65 to designate collard greens as the ‘Official Green of Georgia’ and ‘Potlikka’ as the Official Dipping Sauce of Georgia. Specifically, the Official Dipping Sauce of Georgia would be for dipping the Official State Bread of Georgia. Currently, House Bill 14 is pending in the legislature and would make cornbread the Official Bread of Georgia.
House Bill 65 is co-sponsored by Kasey Carpenter (R), Emory Dunahoo (R), Karla Drenner (D), Clint Crowe (R), and Pattie Marie Stinson (R).
Moore recently penned an op-ed on the legislation saying:
“We are the second-highest producer of collards in the United States, with nearly 30,000 acres devoted to the crop – highlighting the cultural and agricultural significance of collard greens in Georgia. The cultivated collards of today are related to wild, primitive cabbages dating back over 2,000 years to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor regions. In fact, culinary historians agree that the green craze in the South is supported by tastes among Celtic and Germanic southerners. After the American Civil War, white southerners began eating collard greens and found what African-Americans had known for ten generations – they are delicious and nutritious!
Many collard dishes are traditionally eaten with the cooked-down juices, also known as “potlikker,” or pot liquor, for those from the North. The broth is flavored by the ingredients used to stew the greens, which is rich in nutrients left behind by the greens. Potlikker can be reused as a base for soup or consumed as a delicious warm heart-healthy beverage. It is so yummy that some find that it is better than fondue for dipping everything in it, including good southern cornbread.”
The bill has been assigned to the House Special Rules committee.
Moore represents the citizens of District 91, which includes portions of DeKalb and Rockdale counties. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2021 and currently serves on the Creative Arts & Entertainment, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications and Higher Education committees.
