Whether it was a planned cocktail party or a last minute barbeque, I quickly learned the enjoyment that food brings into everyone’s lives. I always looked forward to "Family Night Dinners" at my church when everyone contributed their best dishes. You always knew who brought the best deviled eggs, the best fried chicken and the best cakes, of course. Food brought us all together in happy times and in sad. It was the core of our lives - the hospitality and the grace we learned to share.

As many of you already know, I first served my Seven-Layer Caramel Cake at my youngest son’s Christening in 1982. The power of word-of-mouth spread this incredible tasty treat across the country. Before I knew it I had customers as far away as Alaska and Hawaii wondering how soon they could get a Caramel Cake. WOW!! Initially I had a baker in South Carolina who made the cakes and I would pick them up and ship or deliver them to customers. Unfortunately she became ill and I had to decide whether or not I could continue the business. The answer was quite simple thanks to my wonderful customers who kept asking for more cakes! This labor of love was a rough start because Caramel is so difficult to perfect. I can remember days when it would take me an hour and a half to get the icing to stay on the cake. I was determined to make it work and through great perseverance I finally conquered and owned the process.

Now, we are making the cakes daily in our Annapolis bakery and shipping them nationwide. Some of my customers have even taken them to Europe as gifts. We have all shared so much through the years and the friendships have brought so much richness to my life. I have been told of Mothers, Grandmothers, Great Aunts and family cooks who have made Caramel Cakes similar to ours, and all those memories have flooded back. My customers continue to share their wonderful stories with me and that’s what keeps me going. Through this delicious Caramel Cake, I have shared in birthdays, family gatherings, weddings and family reunions. I have even been told on several occasions that it was the only thing a loved one would eat the last days they were living. How privileged I feel to have shared so much with so many.

My goal is to continue to 'make the world a smaller place' with the Caramel Cake and my other Southern specialties. I am so grateful to all of my customers for their generous and ongoing support.