It was like moving back home for Jo Schramm in 2016 when she and her husband returned to the Bohannon area of Mathews. Their home overlooking Godsey Creek is just a hop, skip and jump from Jo’s grandfather’s home where she once spent summer vacations.

Jo says, “I love to cook but I don’t do as much cooking as I once did when our two children were growing up and living at home.” However, now that eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren have been added to the family, Jo is back in her old swing of cooking when they come to visit.

The table is soon set with all of the family’s favorites created from a collection of recipes Jo has gathered from both sides of her family. Many are handwritten.

“My mother was an outstanding cook,” Jo emphasized, “as were my grandmother and aunt. I learned from them all. Baking is probably my favorite method of cooking but I enjoy it all. I like to cook.” Jo’s Samoa Cake recently won second place in the Mathews Historical Museum’s Father’s Da...