Lisa Capen’s great-great-great-grandmother Mary Ann Hudgins, a Mathews native, is surely smiling. Her great-great-great-granddaughter and husband Harlen moved from Poquoson to the Bavon area of Mathews about a year and half ago. Ironically, the home they saw on the internet and purchased after falling in love with it at first visit was once owned by Mrs. Nora Hudgins, a native of Mathews (no relation known). “And once we stepped into the front door we knew it was for us,” Lisa said.

Another asset to the property was the cottage built next to the main house. Once a kitchen was installed, the cottage became the home for Lisa’s parents Karen and Kirk Kehrberg. And a family tradition was established: “They eat one meal a week with us and we eat with them one day a week. My dad is the cook.”

Although Harlan and Lisa are still fully employed—he is with NASA and she teaches and operates her quilting business—they also operate the Bavon Farm Stand. “Harlen is the farmer. I’m his helper,” Lisa explained. “It’s his hobby.”

“When we first moved here, we lived in a camper while some renovation work was being done. Somewhere in all of the confusion Harlen managed to put in some tomato plants.”

From those two tomato plants, the Capens’ garden has progressed to include vegetables, herbs and fruit in each of four seasons. After canning, freeze-drying, sharing with neighbors and friends, following an idea from Harlen’s mother in his home state of Vermont, they opened Bavon Farm Stand. The sign reads: “Produce, Quilted Gifts, Treats, Baked Goods, Fresh Eggs.”

Not only does Lisa do the canning, freezing and preserving the produce, she is the baker of breads. Currently at the stand she is selling her white country bread and pumpkin bread with a strudel top. Customers can place orders “through our Bavon Farmstand Facebook page.”

Lisa explains, “When I was single with three children, I was also working full-time and there wasn’t a lot of time for cooking. But since moving here I have a true passion for it.”

With the grocery store about eight miles from home, Lisa has cut driving times. She makes the bread, pasta and uses what their larder holds to create meals.

The Capens do take time to relax. With their boat close by they enjoy going fishing.

COUNTRY SANDWICH BREAD

1 c. warm water or 1 c. warm milk
2 Tbs. sugar or honey
2 tsp. instant yeast
Start with 3 c. of all-purpose flour and add ½ c. as needed
¾ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. soft butter or tallow or olive oil
1 egg, optional

Add 1 c. warm water to a large mixing bowl. You can substitute milk in place of the water for a softer bread. To the water add the sugar or honey, stir. Then add the yeast and stir. Let sit about 5 minutes until frothy. Next add the flour, salt, and butter or oil. If you are using the egg, whisk that in a separate bowl and add now.

Stir all of these ingredients together well. Knead the dough 10 minutes on a very lightly floured countertop. After kneading, put ball of dough in a bowl that is slightly oiled and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let sit in a non-drafty place until the dough has doubled in size. Knock down the dough and shape into a loaf. Place in a greased loaf tin and cover again with the towel. Let this rise 30 to 45 minutes or until the dough doesn’t bounce back when poked. Bake this bread in a preheated 350°F. oven for approximately 30 minutes. When time is up, remove the bread from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool. Let cool before slicing, and store the bread in an airtight container—it’ll last longer that way.

GRAN’S BAKED CHOCOLATE CUSTARD

4 Tbs. cocoa powder
4 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. water
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1 c. evaporated milk
½ stick room-temperature butter
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. all-purpose flour

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a small cup, mix the 4 Tbs. cocoa powder, 4 Tbs. sugar, and the 2 Tbs. water into a thick paste and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the 2 eggs, 1 c. sugar, salt, vanilla, butter, and flour. Then mix in the milks using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Then mix in the cocoa paste. Don’t panic, at this stage this custard isn’t going to look so “pretty.” You will see the butter settle near the top … it’s supposed to do that. Pour this mixture into a greased pan. The thickness of your baked custard will depend on the size of your pan. If you like it thicker, use a 9”x9” square pan; if you like it thinner, use a 9”x12” pan. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. It will have a slight “wiggle” in the center and the edges will be puffy.

Eat while still warm for a special treat! Put leftovers in fridge and eat cold or heat back up in microwave.

SIMPLY MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
1 c. milk
2 large eggs
½ c. vegetable oil or extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil (my favorite)
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 c. water or coffee

Stir-in ideas: toffee chips, chocolate chips, pecans or walnuts, dried cherries/fruit, substitute vanilla for orange extract. peanut butter or butterscotch chips. The list could go on.

You’ll need two greased 9” round baking pans or two loaf pans or one bundt pan, using butter or baking spray.

Lining the pans after greasing with parchment paper may make the cake easier to remove from the pan. Hard to do if using the bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl; whisk to combine. In another large bowl whisk the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Whisking the eggs before adding to the bowl helps a lot. Using room temperature eggs will give you a fluffier cake. Then add dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk together. Pour in the water or the coffee and stir until well combined. The cake batter will be runny. Now is the time to add any stir-ins to change the cake’s flavor profile if you wish. If your coffee is warm/hot … it may melt certain add-ins. Divide the batter between your greased pans. Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Baking times can vary due to which type of pan you are using. Let the cakes cool off in the pans on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans and let them finish cooling directly on the racks. I really like this cake “naked”—it is that moist! You can use any frosting on top or in-between the layers of the round cake pans.

Using coffee instead of water will give you a rich deep chocolate flavor to your cake.