Baking Southern Memories
"New York Times" best-selling author Anne Byrn's new cookbook includes a taste of Northwest Tennessee
My friend, colleague, and client New York Times best-selling author
has done it again with her latest cookbook, Baking in the American South. This isn’t just another collection of recipes—it’s an encyclopedia of Southern baking, filled with rich stories and history. What makes it even more special to me is its heartfelt recognition of northwest Tennessee, a region close to my heart. If you haven’t already, subscribe to Anne’s Substack—whether you’re a food lover or not, you’ll love her stories.I grew up in Martin, Tennessee, a small college town with a population of just 10,000. It was home to the University of Tennessee at Martin, and thanks to the university, I was surrounded by people from all over the world. We had professors from Lebanon, Cuba, Germany, India, Korea, Iraq, and Brazil, bringing a splash of worldly exposure to our Southern upbringing. Who else in West Tennessee had the privilege of enjoying homemade pita bread? Patti Wakim, are your ears burning?
School cafeteria yeast rolls
But despite this international influence, we remained deeply rooted in our Southern traditions. One of the most cherished memories from my childhood in Martin, TN, is the legendary yeast rolls made by our beloved elementary school cafeteria manager, Mr. Charlie Moore. Those rolls are the stuff of legend—just ask anyone who grew up in Martin. Nancy Neese Culver summed it up perfectly: “I've never seen anything like this in my life. Those rolls are legendary.”
Mr. Charlie worked at Martin Elementary School from around 1950 to at least 1990, and his rolls were so popular that many students would use their lunch money to buy two of them. His presence in the cafeteria was as comforting as the rolls themselves, always standing behind the lunch ladies with a warm smile as he watched everyone eagerly ask for an extra roll.
The community still remembers Mr. Charlie fondly. Randy T. Sandefer remarked, “Weren't we incredibly lucky to have had him...and these memories? A part of Martin....”
Who else can claim that they loved cafeteria food?
Angie Fisher Damron recalls how Mr. Charlie started making rolls at 4 a.m. The rolls were made in a massive round metal pan and covered with a huge cloth to rise, ready for the next step when the other cooks arrived.
To see his story and his rolls featured in Anne Byrn’s cookbook brings me immense joy. It’s a way to honor his memory and share a piece of our community with the world.
From Brazil to Tennessee
Another personal connection to this book is my mother’s recipe. Yes, my mother’s flan—a traditional Brazilian dessert—has found its place in a Southern baking cookbook. You might wonder what a Brazilian dessert has to do with Southern baking, but the answer is simple: my mother baked it in the South. In Brazil, it’s known as pudim, and my mother added her own twist by incorporating a little grated lime, a nod to her Cuban friend and colleague, Vilma Robaina, who said that’s what they did in Cuba.
My mother, Maria Izabel Malone, originally from Brazil, didn’t grow up learning how to cook or bake. In her household, with eight children—five of them hungry boys—the kitchen was off-limits. But when she came to the United States, she made this dessert her own, blending her Brazilian roots with the Southern culture she had come to love.
Dr. Paul Crapo, chairman of the Foreign Language Department at U.T.M., and his wife, Katie, have fond memories of my mother and her flan:
"Our family met Maria and Don Malone when we moved to Martin, TN, in 1995. We soon learned that the always kind, always gracious Maria and Don loved to surprise people with Maria’s five-star, out-of-this-world flan. The telephone would ring—yes, a landline—and Don would announce they were on their way to deliver a flan. Or, they would pop over, flan in hand. Sometimes the reason for the delivery was 'just because,' but other times it was to welcome visiting family members from Michigan or New England. Being the recipient of one of Maria’s flans was close to scoring a ticket to the SEC football championship! And their friendship—priceless!"
This cookbook isn’t just about recipes; it’s about the stories behind them. It’s about the people, like Mr. Charlie and my mother, who have made the South what it is today. It’s about blending traditions, cultures, and memories into something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. And I’m so proud to be a part of this journey, sharing the flavors and stories of my hometown with the world.
Excepting invitations to dinner or ideas for future posts
Do you have any ideas for a post? Places I should visit. People I should meet. Art, interiors, historical places, your backyard, your dinner party (insert smiley face and yes, I’ll accept) or anything you can think others would enjoy? Be sure to leave a comment below.
My new fave baking book. Simply beautiful. And a great read.
Love! Love! Love! Thanks for bringing back some great memories, Lisa, and the kind reference to my Tata's pita bread. I never had your mom's flan but did love Mr. Charlie's rolls. My parents insisted I get the hot lunch and sometimes that was all I ate of it. I've never forgotten them! We have Anne Byrn's book on order at the Chattanooga Public Library and it already has holds. I'll get a sneak peak when I receive it into the system!