Lucy Greer Cheriogotis admits that she and her two sisters hunted eggs until they were far too old for such Easter traditions. Her mother bought them all matching brown baskets as toddlers, and even after a seven-year-old Lucy broke her handle during a tiny tantrum one year, the baskets still come out every Spring, broken handle and all.
The Easter bunny always filled the basket with her favorite candies — pastel M&Ms and Cadbury Creme Eggs. She fondly remembers hunting for freshly boiled and dyed eggs in her grandmother’s yard, followed by a big lunch with all the relatives around Papa and Posey’s table: always ham, Papa’s green beans and Spinach Posey, probably followed by one of Posey’s delicious pies. “My grandmother was an amazing baker,” Lucy remembers of her maternal grandmother, “while Papa did a lot of the cooking.” Then they would travel to Belle Fountaine to hunt more eggs with the Greer side of the family. More good food followed.
Cooking and sharing food was a big part of life growing up in a family of grocers, so no one was surprised when Lucy went to culinary school after college. After stints in several fine-dining kitchens in Birmingham, Lucy brought her fresh perspective and love of a home-cooked meal back to the Bay-area and began sharing it with local cooks and customers in-store and on live TV segments. A cookbook was the next logical step.
“People have been asking me to do one for years,” she admits, “but I’ve been surprised at how the stories are resonating with people as much as the recipes.”
When your family has been in the local food business for over a century, your experiences and traditions naturally hit home with people. The book offers sections specifically about Conecuh sausage, guilty pleasures and Greer’s childhood favorites. They are sure to become some of yours, as well.
“Fried chicken and coconut cake are Easter favorites at the store year after year,” she explains. But she warns to shop early. Greer’s stores are always closed on Easter so staff can celebrate with family members, home-cooked recipes and egg hunts for old and young alike.
“Lucy Cooks” is now available!
“Lucy Cooks” by Lucy Greer Cheriogotis details 150 delicious and easy recipes in a beautiful hardback book that will become a staple of every Bay-area cookbook shelf!
Lucy’s Coconut Cream Pie
SERVES 8
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 9-inch pie shell, baked
1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a baking sheet, and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine half-and-half, sugar, flour, eggs and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup toasted coconut and vanilla. Reserve remaining toasted coconut for garnishing the pie.
4. Pour custard into pie shell and chill until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Top with whipped topping and reserved toasted coconut. Enjoy!
