Confessions of a Deep Fry Master

My story starts like many others. I was born in Statesville, North Carolina, in March 1978. My parents and I moved to nearby Greensboro soon thereafter, but I spent many weekends in the kitchen with my grandmother cooking and trying to memorize what she did so I could get it just right. At home I was always in the kitchen. I remember being thirteen years old and most of my friends talking about what they wanted for Christmas and all I wanted was a Kitchen Aid mixer with all the attachments! During my junior and senior years in high school, I became more serious about my culinary career, specifically in baking and pastry. Through the opportunities available to me at Weaver Education Center, with the help of two of the greatest instructors I had, Mrs. Sybil Murphy and Mrs. Kathy Jo Somers (Mitchell); I was able to explore the art of cake decorating and then doing my first wedding cake. I found my new passion and started doing wedding cakes and other desserts. During the summer months I worked in several bakeries and attended summer programs at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC. During this time, my uncle, who lived in Raleigh, had a prosperous catering company. When I had free time, many weekends were spent there with him working and learning how to improve my culinary arts skills. I also worked at Lucky 32 for three-and-a-half years after high school. Shortly afterward, I became a cake decorator for Harris-Teeter, where I worked for eighteen years. I also received my degree in medical assisting and worked as a medical assistant in the evenings and any days I had off simultaneously while decorating cakes during the day and wedding cakes when time permitted. Though these things paid the bills, I wanted to do more. Once given the opportunity to come to Raleigh and work with my uncle at his booth during the state fair, I found what was missing. Over the years the booth has changed its name and concept. Now as one of the Must-See attractions at the NC State Fair every year, we have an abundance of menu items to sooth those deep fried cravings!