We partner with some incredible local talents for our classes and some of our retail selections. In our ongoing Extended Family series, we want to showcase their work and provide a glimpse inside their personal story.

Let’s start out with the basics, where are you from and what do you do?

I’m from a small town in Western North Carolina. Everyone there calls me “one of those Medford boys”.  Currently during the day, I’m a strategic planning, business innovation and HR guru, at night and on the weekend I’m an home baker practicing the skills my Nana taught me.

 

What do you love about your job/business?

My baking project, Idlewild Biscuits and Bakes grew from my love of traditional southern food that I was raised eating as well as my love of sugar, and ahem, butter. I enjoy teaching folks about southern food, southern ingredients and southern culture that they can incorporate into their own family traditions.

How long have you been in business?

I’ve been baking with my Nana since I was “yea high” (aka about 5 or 6 years old), I started my baking project in 2016.

How did your business evolve since its beginning?

It’s still evolving (just a baby). I know I have a food story to tell and a unique perspective, I’m sharing that through baking events and teaching. What’s important is maintaining my roots as a home baker and helping other home bakers understand that rustic is beautiful, mistakes will happen, and the way your momma made it…is the right way.

We’ll see what comes next.

 

What cookbook do you reference most often (in general or just lately)?

I love anything by Edna Lewis. I delight in her simple, yet delicious southern cooking. That, and the Long’s United Methodist Church Cookbook (Haywood County, NC); the women of my family have been rocking that collection since the 1950’s.

 

If you could take any cooking class, what would it be?

I want to learn to make Nigella Lawson’s Lemon Pavlova (I’m serious y’all, if you haven’t seen it, that pavlova is beautiful). If Great British Bake Off’s Mel and Sue are class hosts, all the better.