“The Sweetness of Doing Good” – The Lura’s Kitchen Inc. philanthropy program has added the restoration of the Bell Tower and Cross at the Congregational Church of Christian Fellowship to its list of worthy projects to lend its support.
According to owner Lura Ball, 10% of every package of Madear’s Old Fashion Gourmet Premium Cookie Dough Mix sold thru the end of June 2022 will go towards the CCCF Tower project.
“Lura’s Kitchen ‘Madear’s Teacake Mix,’ is a simple but rare blend of rich decadent vanilla and fragrant nutmeg,” explained Ball, who named the mix after her mother, Mary Lee Daniels, who was affectionately called “Madear.”
“Just like all of my mixes, they are three ingredients and ready to eat in 30 minutes or less. Just add eggs and butter,” she noted.
Recalling the history of teacakes, Ball said the tradition dates more than two centuries ago, stemming from enslaved people preparing the desert for plantation owners in the southeastern United States.
“Although plantation cooks created this sweet cookie served with tea, it was not viewed as ‘slave food’ as slaves did not have access to white flour. However, cooks would hide cookies to slip to their families at their own risk as a matter of record. Over time, teacakes have become inextricably linked to southern African American culture,” she said.
During the great migration after emancipation, Black people left the South, eager to escape the worst of their experiences but the tradition of teacakes traveled and became a staple. Almost everyone with a Southern heritage had a family member that made the “best” teacakes. So, the tradition continues until today.
“This cookie became the delight and loving, treasured delicacy of the African American community. Finally, a positive icon survives the horrors of slavery, replacing some of the bad memories with love. You cannot eat one of Madear’s Teacakes and not feel loved,” insisted Ball. “That is how Madear made everyone feel. Loved!”
