Hey Yall!
I’m Anna! Some of my first memories are baking alongside my mom. I remember climbing high onto a kitchen bar stool to watch her roll out a beautiful pie crust with crimped edges and a creamy buttermilk filling. She handed me a ball of her raw pie crust scraps and a miniature wooden rolling pin. I rolled and worked and – with her help – baked a “pastry” of my own. I presented my culinary work of art proudly to Polly, our family basset hound. She gobbled it up in a quick bite, which I took as an ultimate compliment.
My love of creating and sharing yummy eats grew along with me. I took this passion with me when I left my hometown for the “big city” of Chapel Hill to attend UNC (Go Heels!). Of course, I was shocked to learn that Chapel Hill- a city that taught me how to safely cross the street through a multi-lane intersection and how to decipher accents from places where sweet tea escapes the menu – is also just a small town itself. Regardless, I grew and so did my palate! I met lots of people and tasted cuisines I never knew existed. I incorporated pieces of those tasty experiences into my own baking.
After graduation, I stayed in the area and soon returned to UNC for a Master of Social Work. Now, as a pediatric medical social worker, I realize more than ever the Power of Yum – the therapeutic effect of baking, the tension that leaves a meeting when a thick slab of strawberry shortcake appears, the carefree atmosphere of a party filled with friends whose plates are piled high, and the warm feeling of a shared meal on the hardest of days. Food has the ability to shape experiences and relationships in incredible ways! It’s The Power of Yum!