From Home Ec to Household Name

From Home Ec to Household Name

Photos by Peter Frank Edwards

Like many Southern women, Vera Stewart grew up in the kitchen. Days were spent writing recipe cards for her grandmother (after whom she’s named), and helping her mother prepare the famous egg salad that was a mainstay in their refrigerator. But for the Augusta native, these memories became the start of something bigger. And that something is a nearly 40-year career in the food industry. A career that has taken many twists and turns, including a highly successful mail-order business that gained the attention of Oprah, Oscar de la Renta and St. Simons Island’s own Davis Love III, a catering company that has served prestigious Masters Week events for more than 35 years, and a cooking show, The VeryVera Show, which can be seen on WSAV3 on Sunday mornings at 7:00 a.m. is in its sixth season and syndicated in eight markets. Vera’s café was an Augusta staple, and her name graced the pages of publications like Southern Living and Town & Country year after year.

Despite these many accomplishments and feathers in her cap, Vera’s newest project, the release of her first cookbook, The VeryVera Cookbook: Recipes from my Table, is an ode to her humble beginnings and each person who influenced her along the way, from family and friends to fellow Georgians and strangers. And if you talk to people who are familiar with Vera’s cooking, you know she’s remembered well through their favorite culinary delights, from her cheese straws to her many delicious cakes.

Vera is no stranger to our little island either. Vera recalls, “I started coming to St. Simons

Island from Macon as a child around the age of 8. My mother had vacationed there as a child and she was happy that not too much had changed. My favorite memory from my first visit was the Spanish moss. My mother said not to touch it, but since I usually didn't listen, I bagged a bunch in a plastic bag and brought it home to put in our trees!” She adds, “My mother ended up retiring from Macon to St. Simons in the late 1970s and it was wonderful to be able to go on holidays and weekend. Her favorite restaurant was The Crab Trap and we went there on every visit. The changes there today are incredible, the shopping is so unique, the culinary experience is phenomenal. My favorite parts are still the view when you come across the causeway and the memories of times with my Mom when I walk along East Beach.”

If you ask Vera who inspired her career, the first few to top the list are her mother, grandmother and, to the surprise of some, her high school home economics teacher, Catherine Dupree. As a senior, Vera was unsure of what her future would hold, but Catherine encouraged her to pursue her passion for cooking. Four years later, Vera graduated from The University of Georgia with a degree in Home Economics and the rest is history. At the ripe age of 21, Vera began teaching home economics in Marietta until she and her new husband moved to Madison where there were no open positions at the time. Because of this, Vera explored her love for hosting and entertaining, ultimately leading to the event that put her name on the map: a catered luncheon for the staff of Governor Joe Frank Harris. She officially became a business owner in 1984 and began catering local events and parties that were the talk of the town.

Always adapting and growing, Vera saw a new vision for her company in the early 90s: mail order. What started as a simple test of packing her grandmothers pound cake in a tin and shipping it to family and friends all over the country, grew to become “VeryVera.” When VeryVera was picked up by notable stores like Costco, Neiman Marcus and HSN, Vera’s layer cakes, pound cakes and casseroles quickly expanded from family favorites to nationwide must-haves, making VeryVera a household name. They were featured on Oprah’s “O List” and became a favorite gifting go-to for the late Oscar de la Renta.

After being introduced to one of the top caterers in Augusta, Vera found herself in conversations surrounding the town’s biggest event: The Masters. She went from catering sweet-sixteens and small dinner parties to hosting prestigious events for Masters patrons. Now, more than three decades later, Masters week is still the biggest of her year. Due to her exposure during this annual event, Vera also caught the eye of the golf community, including some golfers who are well-known and loved on the island, like Davis Love III and Chris Kirk. While Chris confesses his family’s love for Vera’s meatloaf, we happen to know that Davis is especially fond of her chicken and rice casserole and his staff has ordered Vera’s strawberry cake at his request on numerous occasions.

Vera’s café in Augusta was a destination dining spot for golfers. One frequent café patron was two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and his wife. He says, "Julie and I have always enjoyed Vera's fine cooking, and we made it a point to stop by her café during the Masters. Her delicious items are numerous, and we especially love her red velvet cake, which practically melts in your mouth!"

Vera decided to close her retail operation in 2013 and set her sights on one of her biggest dreams yet: writing the VeryVera Cookbook. It is through this book that she yearns to keep the VeryVera brand alive and well with those who have loved it for years, as well as those who are new to the “family.” This labor of love was a very nostalgic process for Vera as she recounted every special memory, influential person and outstanding recipe that touched her life and career. Her hope is to leave a legacy for her children and grandchildren and encourage every home cook to experiment in the kitchen and make memories along the way. Devotees of her cooking couldn’t be more pleased. PGA Tour pro Hunter Mahan says, “I was lucky enough to have Vera Stewart’s Carrot Cake while I was in Augusta for the Masters. It is hands-down the best Carrot Cake I have ever tasted. The frosting alone is out of this world! Knowing that the secret recipe is in her new cookbook is reason enough to buy a copy.”

Nathalie Dupree provided a glowing endorsement of Vera’s cookbook: “Vera Stewart is a Southern hostess through and through. This book is like pulling up a chair at Vera's table and hearing her describe the experiences, people, and recipes that shaped her story. The photography alone will make you want to pick up this book, and you'll stay for the personal anecdotes and fabulous recipes.” High praise indeed coming from another well-respected Southern chef, TV personality, and cookbook author.

Vera was kind enough to share with us a favorite recipe loved by our local golf legend, but you’ll want the whole book. The VeryVera Cookbook: Recipes from my Table is available for sale on veryvera.com and Amazon, as well as in select stores in the Southeast, or stop by Two Friends on Thursday, May 3 to get a signed copy and meet Vera between 1:00-3:00 p.m. Come say “hello” to the woman who has fed our golfers so well and lovingly and take home her book to try out the recipes for that new supper club we’ve inspired you to start!

STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE

Vera says, “This cake was created from a 1940s vintage recipe and won the hearts of our

customers through its association with my annual gift to the American Cancer Society in memory of my mother. It became famous when Oprah picked it as her favorite in the April 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. I had always wanted to get one of my cakes in front of Oprah. I began sending them to her with a note and would always get a nice reply in the mail as a thank you for sending it, along with glowing reviews of the cake. After a couple of years, Oprah’s friend Gayle King started ordering from us, and would not only order cakes, but the entire Thanksgiving meal for her family. This continued for several years, as did my traditional cake-teaser delivery. Persistence pays off, and after 10 years, we got the call that our Strawberry Layer Cake made the “O list.” It was worth the wait, as the issue we were featured in was also historic for O Magazine: It was the first time Oprah shared the cover, with Michelle Obama. We had record sales for Mother’s Day that year.”

Serves: 20 to 24 (¾” or 1” slices)

Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Bake Time: 28 to 30 minutes

Cake Ingredients:

Floured baking spray

1 package frozen sliced strawberries with sugar added, thawed

4 c. (2 boxes) Betty Crocker® white cake mix

3 oz. strawberry Jell-O® mix

4 large eggs, at room temperature

½ c. vegetable oil

½ c. whole milk, room temperature

⅓ c. all-purpose flour

Icing Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

½ tsp. strawberry extract

2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar

6 drops red food coloring

Cake Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch pans lined with parchment paper. Place thawed strawberries in a food processor and pulse to puree (measure ½ cup). Combine cake mix and Jell-O mix by hand. Add strawberry puree, eggs, and oil and mix until well blended. Add milk to Jell-O mixture and beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Add flour and mix, just until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly between three prepared pans. Tap pans on counter to ensure there are no air bubbles. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes. Test doneness by touching a cake top. If it springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer. If needed, use a wooden skewer. Cool cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from pans.

Icing Preparation:

Cream butter and cream cheese in bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape bowl extremely well. Add strawberry extract and beat for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to ensure sugar does not fly out of mixing bowl. After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape bottom of the bowl extremely well. Once all confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, add red food coloring and beat on low for 3 minutes. Spread icing between cake layers and then on top and sides of stacked layers.