“I was in the kitchen a lot with my grandmother growing up,” said Brenda Sumrell, telling how she learned to cook. “Both of my parents worked so when it was possible, I would go over to my grandparents’ farm. I was like a little follower of my grandmother. I helped her turn butter. Did a lot of watching what she did in her kitchen, especially the big meal in the middle of the day when all the farm help came in to eat. I even helped to roll up the tobacco and I always got a day off from school when it was hog-killing time, because I could help my grandmother with what she had to do. Such fond memories.”

Brenda says she has had a love of cooking since the age of 10. “In my later years I learned cooking was an art and developed even a greater a love for it. What I cook is the old-fashioned way. Maybe not the healthiest way but oh so good. I love trying new things and make every thing from scratch and not from a box. Whatever I cook I like to share with others.”

One of her most orig...