How do you do that? I asked. What do witches eat? Witches loves pork meat, she said. They loves rice and potatoes. They loves black-eyed peas and cornbread. Lima beans, too, and collard greens and cabbage, all cooked in pork fat. Witches is old folks, most of them. They don't care none for low-cal. You pile that food on a paper plate, stick a plastic fork in it, and set it down by the side of a tree. And that feeds the witches. The
The character shares insights about witches and their culinary preferences, revealing a charming and somewhat humorous view of what witches enjoy eating. According to her, witches have a hearty appetite for traditional foods like pork, rice, potatoes, black-eyed peas, and cornbread, suggesting they favor rich and hearty dishes often cooked with pork fat. This vivid description paints a picture of witches as old folks who indulge in classic comfort foods rather than worrying about dietary restrictions.
The narrator learns that serving this food is a ritualistic act; one simply places the meal on a paper plate beside a tree to feed the witches. This detail highlights a connection to nature and local folklore while illustrating the community's beliefs about witches. The description combines elements of regional culture with superstitions, showing a blend of respect and whimsy in the way witches are honored through food in the narrative of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt.
