Tag: Muddy’s Bake Shop

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Shop Local, Memphis!

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Meet Your Makers

Let’s fantasize for a moment. This holiday season, wouldn’t it feel good to resist the suck of Target or a crowded shopping mall? Consider a gift not made in China or replicated by the dozens in every color and pre-wrapped so you’re done with absolutely no thought at all. Think about the heft of a lovingly made earthenware bowl or a piece of handcrafted jewelry, made by someone you might very well bump into at your local coffee shop.

Shop local, support your local artisan. This is easy enough to do in Memphis, where there are dozens of makers crafting their wares. We spoke to a few of them, and we have a few ideas …

If you have eyeballs, then you’ve seen the work of Michelle Duckworth. The Bartlett native is an illustrator/artist whose work has hung in local galleries. Duckworth also participates in 10 to 12 artists’ markets a year, selling her mounted wood prints.

Duckworth describes her work as “fairytale-ish — a snapshot from the middle of the story.” She’s inspired by fairy tales and folk tales and old illustrated books from around the world. The works call to mind Grimm’s Fairy Tales — images that are at the same time pleasing to look at but a little scary, too. “They walk the line between being kind of nice and being kind of off,” she says.

Duckworth’s work is available at Five in One Social Club on Broad and through her Etsy shop at MichelleDuckworth.

If this speaks to you, you’ll want to check out the porcelain works of babycreep — pretty baby faces shorn off for planters, a tiny spoon that tapers into a finger. Fingers figure a lot in her work. There’s jewelry, too. Also available at Five in One Social Club.

Justin Fox Burks

babycreep’s wares

“I like to make my jewelry so that you see a cohesive design first. The tickle comes from the fact that it’s food,” says Funlola Coker.

Coker is primarily known for her oh-so-tiny and stunningly detailed food jewelry. Donuts, sushi, peas, asparagus, bacon and eggs, avocados, cauliflower, and more adorn her earrings and rings.

“I like to think that it’s for everyone,” she says. “A lot of people assume it’s for quirky or alternative folk, but really you can pair a simple pair of donut earrings with a chic grey dress.”

Is it the appeal of the food or working in miniature that drives her? It’s both, she says. “I love food and food presentation. I feel like I enjoy my food a lot more with good presentation. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just visually appealing. However, I love to dive into the process of my work. Rolling out tiny peas or texturing a little piece of chicken is extremely satisfying. It’s all very time consuming, but the more I do it the faster I get, and before I realize it, I’ve iced 60 miniature donuts by the end of the day.”

Coker’s work is available at Five in One Social Club and at funlolacoker.com.

Looking for a unique set of earrings? Five in One’s popular Grit and Grind earrings are one way to show that you are a homer. Their pretty tinysaw label earrings bring to mind architecture and beehives.

After Lisa Wheeler graduated from college with a degree in ceramics, she was itching to make something … anything. But, she decided, it would have to be something she could use, something she needed. And that’s how she ended up making soap.

Her first batch involved coconut oil, olive oil, and lye. (“The lye really freaked me out,” she says.) She let the soap cure for two months, and then she tried it out. “I loved it,” Wheeler says. “I felt like a chemist.”

After experimenting with ingredients, Wheeler was ready to launch her line — LATHA. First she needed a gimmick. She’d seen cupcake soaps, cake soaps. She then hit upon drink soaps. Among her Bawdy Bars, which come in a cup, are Electric Lemonade, Sparkling Mojito, and Sex on the Beach. LATHA also sells bath bombs, including the Jager bomb, and scrubs such as On the Rocks. For the recent Crafts and Drafts event, LATHA introduced beer-inspired soaps.

Susan Ellis

LATHA soap

One drink she hasn’t been able to translate into soap is bubble tea. The color was weird. “I’m going to revisit that,” she says.

LATHA soaps are available at lathabar.com.

Need to clean up your act? Check out Gifts from Nature. Some of their bar soaps: the blue-striped Seersucker, Rehab (with charcoal), and the Mannish. Available at www.gfnsoap.com. — Susan Ellis

Naughty and Nice

Aunt Margaret would clutch her pearls if she got the “Merry Fucking Christmas” card from Five in One Social Club, but Uncle Bob would love it.

You can’t please everyone all the time, especially when it comes to holiday gifting. But you can get pretty close if you shop locally.

Small, locally owned retail shops dot the landscape from Broad to the river. In them, you can find beautiful, useful things for the nice people on your list, like Aunt Margaret, and funny, kitschy things for those on your naughty list (lookin’ at you, Uncle Bob).

The Nice List

You know that friend that is In. Love. With. Memphis? Stock and Belle on Broad offers up tons o’ tasty treats to help get them grit, ground, and Bluff-i-fied.

Look for artist Kyle Taylor‘s prints of a melty, good-enough-to-eat Pancho’s cheese dip man and Taylor’s huge prints of a matadored Marc Gasol as Big Spain. Stock and Belle also carries plenty of Memphis wearables, like the Nine Oh One trucker hat and the house-made “Embrace Your Inner Memphis” T-shirt.

For the luxe-loving jet-setter on your list, hit up 20twelve on Broad. The store focuses on high-end fashion, and, while picking out clothes for somebody else can be tricky, 20twelve has plenty of perfect gift items.

Toby Sells

20twelve

Chocolate-bacon-pretzel bites, anyone? Yes, everyone. That’s but one flavor in Sugarfina’s Vice Collection candy bento box, which also includes maple bourbon caramels and pale ale gummies.

20twelve also sells many high-end fragrance brands — and gift cards, of course.

That friend of yours who won’t stop talking about running probably loves Breakaway Running. Its Overton Square location still feels new and has everything to get your running buddy on the road — or trail.

Picking out clothes for someone else is tough (that’s double for running clothes), but you can’t go wrong with a pair of Yurbuds, the sport earphones that just won’t fall out. Ever. Or, get your runner some nighttime illumination, like a Petzl headlamp.

A sense of adventure fills you up when you open the door at Outdoors Inc., and you see all the gear you could possibly need to enjoy the, well, outdoors.

Toby Sells

Outdoors Inc. medical kit

Your pal may do that fake smile thing when she opens the Adventure Medical Kit from Bighorn, but she’ll be praising your name when she’s mending a wound on the trail. If you want to win Christmas, give someone the Yeti Hopper, the indestructible, always-cold cooler that has become a status symbol for the outdoor set.

Toby Sells

Breakaway Running headlamp

The Naughty List

Let’s get straight to the penis candles, shall we?

Tater Red’s has been a shopping mecca for Beale Street tourists (and locals alike) for more than two decades. It’s a cornucopia of the peculiar and profane.

You know you have one friend who would love one of Tater’s penis candles, (which come in red and black). Tater has vagina candles, too, but he was out of those on a recent visit. Also, look for a ton of throwback Memphis sports gear, adult coloring books, voodoo dolls, and Hangover Helper Mints.

Toby Sells

Tater Red’s mints

Okay, we’re back at Five in One, but we’re on the Naughty List and, well, the Broad Avenue shop is the only place you’re going to find that “Merry Fucking Christmas” card, which is made in-house. Five in One has tons of great, original Memphis-themed stuff, like Samantha Crespo’s new book, 100 Things to Do in Memphis Before You Die Vol. 2, T-shirts and sweaters, and Beerings — earrings made from cans of Memphis beers.

Toby Sells

Before You Die

Maggie’s Pharm is another great Nice List shopping place, but Maggie also loves the naughty snark.

That special someone in your life needs a pair of socks that read, “I hate everyone, too.” You’ve got that other friend who needs a bottle of “I Can’t Believe I Fucked That Guy” hand sanitizer. Load up on stocking stuffers like “I Love My Penis” gum, “Coffee Makes Me Poop” gum, or “Mother Fucking Girl Power” gum.

Toby Sells

Maggie’s Pharm socks

Maggie’s also has nice cards, wide selections of herbs, coffees, teas, and more. But, y’know, go for the gum and the socks.

Head on down to A. Schwab on Beale Street, and bring home a fat sack of 100 percent USDA-certified Memphis kitsch.

You want the authentic hip-swiveling Elvis clock? How about a pair of Elvis sunglasses (you know the ones)? A TCB patch legit enough to fool even the Memphis Mafia? Go to Schwab. And what says Christmas more than a pink Elvis snow globe refrigerator magnet?

There’s plenty of great non-Elvis stuff, too, like a “Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Beale Street” coozie, an old-school collectible Memphis plate, and Beale veteran John Elkington’s kids book, The Pirates of the Gayoso Bayou. — Toby Sells

Eat, Drink, Be Merry

I’m not big on giving gifts of food for Christmas. What with all the ham, weird wedges of cheese, chemically enhanced popcorn, loads of cookies, and tins and tins of peppermint bark — erp! — it’s too much. But there are exceptions. Lots of exceptions …

You can’t go wrong with a bottle of Pyramid vodka. The general reception for this smooth delight: Hells, yeah! And, if the holiday family-together time is getting to you, we recommend you grab your friends and take a tour of the Pyramid facilities. You’ll learn something, for sure, and the tour is capped off with a taste of the product. You might want to call to make sure they’re open first, though: 576-8844.

Absolutely nobody complains about a gift certificate from Joe’s Liquor or Hammer & Ale. For the mixologist on your list, there’s the Elixir No. 01 line — simple syrup, mint julep, and orange and green chile syrup — from the Crazy Good folks.

I receive a tin of Aunt Lizzie’s cheese straws every year. If I don’t get one, there’s going to be trouble. Bad trouble. These are the perfect snack for sports-watching or Netflix-binging during that lovely stretch between Christmas and New Year’s.

For out-of-town folks, get them an order of barbecue — Corky’s, Rendezvous, Germantown Commissary, doesn’t matter — and you’ll be treated like a damn hero. Another option: a gift box from Memphis Flavor (memphisflavor.com). The Memphis Flavor Original Sampler box includes barbecue sauce from Central BBQ, a jar of Flo’s Homemade Goodness, Makeda’s Cookies, and more.

I’m a sucker for good packaging. Judy Pound Cakes’ simple brown box, tied in string and stamped with a pound sign, rings all my bells. The cakes come in all sorts of flavors — chocolate cayenne, cherry almond, plum — but the Plain Ol’ pound cake is my favorite. Makes a good hostess/host gift.

Susan Ellis

Judy Pound Cakes

Your dog has been a good, good dog. (Forget about the couch!) Treat him or her right with a bag of Farm House Santa Paws, yogurt-iced peanut butter cookies, available at Curb Market. Donuts, brownies, muffins, and cupcakes — why not? At Hollywood Feed Bakery, each treat was created specifically for your pup.

Susan Ellis

House Santa Paws

Susan Ellis

Hollywood Feed Bakery

One of my go-to gifts for Christmas, birthdays, house-warmings, whatever is Dinstuhl’s Cashew Crunch. The angels sang when they created this candy. I once gave a friend a box as a thank-you present, and she ended up breaking a tooth. After three or four visits to the dentist, she was totally fine and still eating the crunch.

Hipsters need gifts too. Scratch ’em off your list with a jar of brilliant red Koolickles from Porcellino’s. Pickles and Kool-Aid — it’s a match made in … well, we’re not sure exactly where.

Susan Ellis

Koolickles from Porcellino’s

The caramels from Shotwell Candy are a fine, fine thing indeed. Just thinking about the Craft Beer & Pretzel caramel, I’m misting up. You might want to warn the recipient that this gift is precious and should be hidden immediately in their secret snack drawer.

Susan Ellis

Shotwell Candy

GiveGood Toffee makes an excellent stocking stuffer. At $5 for a pack-of-cards-sized box, it’s a little pricey, but the company was founded to empower young adults living on the autism spectrum. Learn more at givegoodco.com.

Susan Ellis

GiveGood Toffee

For those who like to represent, there’s the Nine Oh One coffee mug, available at 387 Pantry. The stoneware beer cup by Erica Bodine Pottery is pretty special, too, and you can put it in the dishwasher. You can find one at Miss Cordelia’s.

Susan Ellis

387 Pantry coffee mug

Muddy’s Bakery has made its rep on delicious cupcakes and gnome-tastic adorableness. The “Hustle n’ Dough” T-shirt features gnomes and a tumbling stack of pies. Resistance is futile. — Susan Ellis

Susan Ellis

Muddy’s Bake Shop T-shirt

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Muddy’s Santa Baby Cupcake

Christmas is here and they’re celebrating at Muddy’s Bake Shop by giving us the Santa Baby Cupcake ($2.25). It’s chocolate cake, pink peppermint buttercream, and peppermint candy sprinkles on top.

When you’re handed the cupcake you immediately smell the peppermint. On the first and second bite, I found myself repeating the word “interesting.” It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. My friend who was visiting from out of town said the same thing and exclaimed, “I’ve never tried something quite like this before.”

The pink peppermint buttercream is the first thing you taste. It’s creamy, airy and has a strong peppermint taste. The peppermint candy sprinkles on top was fun to crunch on against the opposing textures of the cake and buttercream. The chocolate cupcake itself is just that, chocolaty, but only a hint of that peeks through.

If you love peppermint, the Santa Baby cupcake is for you! Only available for a limited time. 

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Muddy’s Bake Shop, Grind House Consolidating

Bianca noticed that the sign at Muddy’s Grind House had changed … 

What happened to the Grind House???

From operations manager Kip Gordon:

“Yep, the Grind House is gone on the sign out front, but not from our hearts! After getting a lot of feedback from customers both in Midtown and East Memphis, we decided to bring the two stores back together a bit. The Bake Shop products will be more available in Midtown and the Midtown products available in East Memphis. Grind House will now refer more specifically to the coffee bar section in Midtown. The product exchange isn’t happening all at once, we’re kind of doing it in waves as we figure out logistics and transferral, but it’s already started!

We’re super excited about the change and really feel it’s the path to serving our customers as best we can. I mean, ginger scones in East Memphis? What’s not awesome about that?” 

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Muddy’s Grind House Now Open

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Muddy’s Bake Shop is best known for its cupcakes, but a new foray into the world of coffee at the recently opened Muddy’s Grind House may prove to be the perfect accompaniment to their lineup of goodies.

The name itself is oh-so-Memphis, and the coffee shop itself is located in a Cooper Street house on a hill. The coffee shop’s interior is modern and clean with neutrals, but adding the classic Muddy’s flair: chalkboards, pastels, and pops of color. It’s the bakery’s sibling, not a twin; if the Bake Shop is the kooky, free-spirited sister, the Grind House is the intellectual, sophisticated one.

Kat Gordon, who opened Muddy’s Bake Shop in 2008, said they’re approaching coffee the same way they did cupcakes: with a learning curve.

“We made the decision to grow the business as long as it was a different business, rather than just replicating,” says Gordon. “Once that decision was made, I think it was kind of obvious. We got real excited about the idea of doing coffee.”

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“We want to represent different local roasters,” Grind House manager Nicci Bucherie-Kearl says. “We’ll do pour-overs eventually. We’re all learning right now, so it’s really exciting to start with zero knowledge, and not just learn with the staff but with the customer base as well.”

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A chalkboard near the patio asks for ideas: “What would you like added to the menu?” Customers’ responses on one visit suggested green tea, cinnamon toast, and sandwiches. One ambitious visitor asked for bulletproof coffee.

The drinks menu is small by design, with new items to added over time. Currently, it features brewed drip coffee, french press, cafe au lait, espresso, latte, cappuccino, and tea.

Grind House offers muffins, biscuits, slices of coffee cake, and scones, including ginger scones made from Gordon’s father’s recipe. There are cupcakes, slices of pie and cakes, cookies, and more from the Bake Shop as well.

A room attached to the main area, perhaps a parlor in another life, may soon house community events like book clubs, similar to the community-oriented environment at the Muddy’s Bake Shop in East Memphis. There’s also a patio with additional seating in the back.

“We want to be a part of the coffee culture here,” Gordon says. “There are so many places in town that do know so much, which is absolutely incredible. We really are coming to this with a very open slate, so instead of us telling people, ‘This is what we think you should be enjoying,’ we’re going to be a place that if this type of environment is interesting to someone, they can come in and learn with us. We want it to be very accessible. Nobody is going to roll their eyes at you if you say ‘expresso’ instead of ‘espresso.’”

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News News Blog

AOVS Golf Tournament Benefits Homeless Vets

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There are approximately 4,000 homeless people in the Memphis area during the course of a year. Around one-third of these individuals are male veterans, according to Alpha Omega Veterans Services (AOVS).

Since 1987, AOVS, which is the country’s first private, non-profit corporation established to serve disabled and/or displaced military veterans, has provided resources to nearly 9,000 veterans.

The organization’s 9th annual AOVS Golf Classic this Friday (September 26th) will help them continue assisting the city’s homeless veteran population. The event will take place at Memphis National Golf Club. The shotgun start is 1 p.m.

“The homeless veteran suffers from problems unique to this specific segment of the population and requires special services,” said Cordell Walker, executive director of AOVS. “Residents of Alpha Omega have acknowledged their problems and are asking only for assistance as they work to re-establish themselves as productive American citizens. Many of our recent clients served in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars.”

Renowned bakery, Muddy’s Bake Shop, is one of the sponsors for this year’s AOVS golf tournament. The bakery is also donating all of the proceeds contributed to its “Refill Our Community With Positive Change” (ROCWPC) jar throughout the month of September to AOVS.

Sara Shackelford-Newcomb of Muddy’s Bake Shop said the company selected AOVS as its September ROCWPC recipient after learning about the organization’s efforts and the number of local veterans experiencing homelessness.

“I think it’s important to point out the amazing things that folks are doing in this city. At Muddy’s, we’re aware of the problems, but also want to be a strong voice in celebrating and supporting the good,” Shackelford-Newcomb said. “We think selecting AOVS for our September ROCWPC jar recipient is one small way we can do that.”

AOVS will use the donated funding to continue providing services at its six different facilities in the Memphis area. The organization provides food, clothing, multiple transitional and permanent housing units, counseling, transportation, and assistance in education, employment, and rehabilitation.

“We are honored that Muddy’s Bake Shop has chosen us as their agency of the month,” Walker said. “This being the month of our annual Golf Classic makes this most timely in helping us to spread the word about our initiatives to serve our disabled/displaced veteran population. The proceeds will go towards maintaining the quality program standards in serving our ever-increasing number of soldiers — both male and female — that are in need of our services.”

Entry to the AOVS Golf Classic is $125. A group of four can participate for $450. For more information on the event, click here.

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Pie Happy

CREDIT: Hannah Sayle

We love cupcakes and cookies, but is there any dessert as quintessentially American as a slice of pie? Consider, if you will, the American Pie Council, an organization dedicated to preserving America’s pie heritage. Call us when cupcakes get their own advocacy group.

So we’re fulfilling our civic duty and happily hopping on this summer’s pie-loving bandwagon. First stop: Three pie-preneurs, all found at local farmers markets.

Lazy Dog Farms, located in Bethel Springs, Tennessee, and owned by Bruce and Mary Scarberry, sets up shop every Saturday at the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market, with a range of whole and mini pies to supplement their produce offerings. The couple began the pie part of their business as a buffer until their first wave of crops came in.

Ever since, the Scarberrys have been selling their sweet and savory pies. Try a zesty mojito pie or a savory potato and onion pie, just $13 for a large and $3.50 for a mini. Their best seller? A not-quite Key lime pie, made with real limes but not with the small Key limes that give the famous pie flavor its name. (Lazy Dog Farms, lazydogfarms.com)

At the Memphis Farmers Market downtown, Downtown Pie Company and Grandma’s Desserts keep pie tins stocked and at the ready. Downtown Pie Company is owned and operated by Ann Hearn, who says she’s been baking pies for 40 years. For a while, she baked for a restaurant in Hot Springs, about which a reviewer wrote, “Oh the pie. It alone is worth a trip to Hot Springs.” (Hence their business motto: “Oh the pie!”)

Hearn and her husband can be found at the Memphis Farmers Market every Saturday, selling mini peach, blueberry, blackberry, and coconut cream pies, as well as their famous Lucille’s chocolate pie. You can also order a 10-inch pie and pick it up from their kitchen in Newport, Arkansas, for $14-$20 or a mini pie for $3.25-$5. (Downtown Pie Company, piesrme@gmail.com, 870-495-3894)

Nearby, Grandma’s Desserts has its own line of sweet potato, pecan, apple, peach, and honey walnut pies by the slice or the whole pie. They have samples available before you purchase, and the pies range from $12 to $15. You can order in advance or grab a slice the next time you’re passing through the downtown market. (Grandma’s Desserts, grandmasdesserts.com, 458-2197)

Outside of the farmers-market scene, head to The Pie Folks in Germantown, where owner Audrey Anderson has been perfecting her pie recipes for over a decade. Starting with the Coconut Pie Factory in 1997, she then opened the Pie Folks’ first location in Olive Branch and finally relocated to the Germantown location in 2010.

“Pies are really beginning to come to the forefront,” Anderson says. “We’ve got all these cupcakes and things like that, but pie is a favorite American pastime.”

Walk in Tuesday through Saturday and pick up one of her “Slap Your Mama Chocolate Pies,” a creamy fudge pie that has won multiple awards at the American Pie Council’s National Pie Championship. Or pick up any one of the other 23 flavors, including a coconut cream pie, the Moonshiner’s Bourbon pie, and another award-winner, her Delightful Strawberry Pie. A whole pie will run you between $16 and $18; a half-pie, $9; a slice of pie, $4; and a half-and-half pie combination of your choosing goes for $19. (The Pie Folks, 7781 Farmington Blvd., 752-5454, thepiefolks.com)

And although it’s known for cupcakes with a cult-like following, Muddy’s Bake Shop is also churning out a variety of from-scratch pies every week.

“It’s my favorite thing to make; it’s my favorite thing to eat,” says owner Kat Gordon. “The great thing about pie is it’s totally limitless. It’s food inside of other food! You’ve got a bottom crust, sometimes a top crust, and you can really put just about anything you want in the middle.”

Her pie flavors are as well-executed and adorably named as her cupcakes. Try “Kick in the Pants” pie, a tart lemon butter pie, or “Cocoa Chanel,” a classic chocolate chess pie. In the summer, expect treats like strawberry basil pie or a double-crust blueberry pie. In the winter, try sweet potato, apple with sharp cheddar baked into the crust, or a pie with chocolate chip cookie filling spiked with whisky.

Pies range from $20 to $24 for a whole, $2 for a mini pie, and $3.50-$4 for a slice. Pre-ordering is the best option for whole pies and bulk orders of mini pies, but you can swing in and grab a slice of pie any time the bakery is open. (Muddy’s Bake Shop, 5101 Sanderlin, 683-8844, muddysbakeshop.com)

Categories
Food & Wine Food & Drink

Baking News

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Ready to put your oven to work but not sure you’ve got the skills? King Arthur Flour has just the ticket: On Monday, February 27th, the oldest flour company in the United States is sponsoring two free baking demonstrations by expert instructor Susan Reid at the Embassy Suites in East Memphis.

The first demonstration will begin at noon with a lesson on making perfect pies and savory scones, followed by a second demonstration at 7 p.m. on baking with yeast and whole grains. This is the second time King Arthur has brought its baking demo tour to Memphis. (They came before in 2006.)

“We’ve found that across the country people are interested in learning more about baking, because there are often a lot of anxieties that go along with it,” Terri Rosenstock of King Arthur Flour says. “Particularly with yeast breads and piecrusts and those things that have a delicate balance to them.”

Making a piecrust is particularly stressful, Rosenstock says, because the perfect crust has the balance of a nice soft texture and flakiness. As for the savory scone, Reid will prepare a cheddar and bacon scone that Rosenstock promises will be “as fattening and delicious as it sounds.”

The demonstration will also include prizes and giveaways, a complimentary recipe booklet, and time to ask questions of the master baker.

In addition to this traveling baking demonstration, Rosenstock says King Arthur sponsors a free “life skills” bread-baking program for middle school students. The program is similar to home-ec classes and teaches kids how to bake bread from scratch. The program hasn’t been introduced in any Memphis schools yet, but Rosenstock says they are interested in partnering with a school in the future.

“We’re trying to get to every state across the country. If there are any schools interested in the program, we’d love to hear from them.”

No RSVPs are necessary for attending the baking demos. For more information on the event or King Arthur Flour, visit kingarthurflour.com.

Embassy Suites Memphis, 1022 S. Shady Grove (684-1777)

If you’re more interested in leaving baking to the professionals, you may have heard about changes brewing at Muddy’s Bake Shop.

For the last two and half years, this East Memphis bakery with a fanatical following has operated a helper kitchen in Cooper-Young, which supplies treats for the retail space off Sanderlin as well as its custom orders. Now, owner Kat Gordon is moving the support kitchen from Cooper-Young to a bigger space on Broad Avenue.

“We really like the idea of getting involved with the revitalization going on there,” Gordon says. “We participated in the New Face for Old Broad event they had there last year. We had a little pop-up shop, which, ironically enough, was in the parking lot of the building we’re currently leasing. It was fantastic, and we loved seeing these businesses on Broad being so proactive in improving the neighborhood. That really appealed to us, and if we had to get bigger, that’s the way we wanted to do it.”

The new kitchen will not be a retail space per se, but it will be big enough to eventually host private parties, workshops, or events. And if they decide to set up a retail space on Broad, Gordon wants to have the flexibility to be creative with the hours and set-up. “Kind of like having pop-up shops at our own space,” she says.

For now, though, Gordon says they will be working on building a bakery from the ground up.

“There’s not even electricity in there now, so we have to completely bring it up to food-service code,” Gordon says. “We’re hoping it will be ready for the kitchen to move in by May.”

Muddy’s Bake Shop, 5101 Sanderlin (683-8844)

muddysbakeshop.com

Categories
Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Contests

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There are a couple of contests of local interest. One to vote in and one to participate in.

Vote for Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman (pictured above) of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, who’ve made the top 20 in an instructional video contest for Protein University.

And, Muddy’s Bake Shop is holding a T-shirt design contest. The prizes are sweet.

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Best of Memphis Special Sections

Best of Food & Drink

CREDIT: Alex Harrison

Alex Harrison

Buttery tikka masala, tender tandoori, spicy vegetable dishes, and all other manner of Indian specialties are served at Midtown institution India Palace in its airy, comfortable Poplar Avenue location.

We’ll admit we find it adorable when, in the “Best Chef” category,
you write in “My Wife,” “My Husband,” or, better yet, “My Mom.” (The
answer “Your Mom’s House” for “Best Romantic Restaurant” is not so
cute.) Chef Boyardee didn’t stand a chance with only two votes for
“Best Chef,” but at least he’s got bragging rights over Mrs. Winner
who, despite the name and the chicken and biscuits, got only one
vote.

Justin Fox Burks

Kelly English, Restaurant Iris, 1st place: ‘Best Chef’

Best Chef

1. Kelly English, Restaurant Iris

2. Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen the Restaurant

3. John Bragg, Circa

Last October, Food & Wine magazine named Kelly English
one of the Top 10 “Best New Chefs” for 2009. That was quite the honor.
Now Flyer readers have vaulted English to the top spot for the
first time.

Best Lunch

1. Huey’s

2. Soul Fish

3. Lenny’s

Hey, you know all those other restaurants that were in the running
for “Best Lunch” in Memphis? Stick a toothpick in ’em. They’re done.
Huey’s gets the nod for lunch nosh this year.

Best Breakfast

1. Brother Juniper’s

2. Blue Plate Cafe

3. Bryant’s Breakfast

Oh Brother, Wherefore Art Chow? Sorry. Brother J. has won “Best
Breakfast” many times, and it’s because they offer delicious,
innovative, homemade food in an eclectic space crammed with interesting
people, especially on weekend mornings.

Best Romantic Restaurant

1. Paulette’s

2. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

3. The Melting Pot

Maybe it’s the desserts. Or maybe the soft tinkling of the ivories.
Or maybe just the wonderful menu, nice wine list, and warm ambience.
Paulette’s is a classic.

Best Sunday Brunch

1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

2. Boscos Squared

3. Peabody Skyway — tie —

Beauty Shop

Owen Brennan’s sits at the cusp of Germantown and East Memphis, but
it draws Memphians from all over for its New Orleans-themed Sunday
brunch: the best in town for 2009.

Best Wine List

1. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

Le Chardonnay moved across Madison Avenue a couple years ago, but it
has retained its dark, ski-lodge-y charm, its extensive wine list, and
first place for “Best Wine List” in your hearts.

Best Steak

1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

3. The Butcher Shop

Folk’s Folly valets meet you at the curb. Once inside, you hear
sweet piano-bar stylings and the sound of cold drinks and cocktail
chatter. But who are we kidding? It’s all about the steak here, and
Folk’s Folly’s steaks sizzle!

Best Barbecue

1. Central BBQ

2. Corky’s

3. The Bar-B-Q Shop

Central BBQ takes top honor in what is probably the toughest
category in this poll: “Best Barbecue.” No matter how you spell it
— barbecue, BBQ, Bar-B-Q, whatever — Central’s on top
again.

Best Ribs

1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous

2. Central BBQ

3. Corky’s

The Rendezvous is sometimes derided as a place where tourists go to
eat Memphis’ most famous food group (16 barbecued ribs), but the
Flyer‘s poll makes it clear that locals love the Rendezvous as
much as people wearing Elvis T-shirts. And well they should.

Best Burger

BOM 1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. The Belmont Grill

That “BOM” designation means Huey’s has won “Best Burger” for so
long that it’s not even fair to anybody else in the running. Lots of
places in Memphis make good burgers, but only one takes the top spot,
year after year after year.

Best Hot Wings

1. Buffalo Wild Wings

2. D’Bo’s Buffalo Wings-n-Things

3. Central BBQ

With five Memphis-area locations, 14 sauces (ranging in heat from
“Blazin'” to “Sweet Barbecue”), and TVs set to sports everywhere you
look, Buffalo Wild Wings is leading the city’s wing scene.

Best Fried Chicken

BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits

3. Jack Pirtle Fried Chicken

If you want to eat lunch at Gus’s, you’d better get there early.
Folks line up for the crispy, smoky, spicy uniqueness that makes Gus’s
fried chicken better than anybody’s in Memphis. Or in the world.

Best Cajun/Creole

1. Bayou Bar & Grill

2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

3. Pearl’s Oyster House

The Bayou, like its sister restaurant, Le Chardonnay, hasn’t missed
a beat by moving across Madison. It’s bigger, but it still has a nice
patio, cold beer, stellar gumbo, and lots of other Cajun
delectables.

Justin Fox Burks

Petra, 1st place: ‘Best Mediterranean’

Best Mediterranean

1. Petra

2. Casa Grill

3. Petra Cafe

What’s more Midtown than this: Greek-Korean fusion in a restaurant
housed in a former gas station/garage, with patio seating right next to
the pumps? Spanikopita, moussaka, falafel — Petra is Greek
delicious. And the Korean soups and kimchi are fabulous too.

Best Dessert

1. Paulette’s

2. Beauty Shop

3. Kooky Canuck

Restaurants come and go, but Paulette’s “K-Pie” is a constant. Rich
coffee ice cream in a pecan-coconut crust, topped with whipped cream
and Kahlua, the Midtown institution’s Kahlua-mocha parfait pie is a
classic but not their most popular dessert. That designation apparently
belongs to the restaurant’s hot chocolate crepe. With crème
brûlée, Key lime pie, and other desserts dotting the menu,
Paulette’s is where Memphians go for post-dinner sweets.

Best Italian

1. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons Restaurant (now closed)

2. Pete & Sam’s

3. Bari — tie —

Ciao Bella Italian Grill

Long synonymous with Italian dining in Memphis, Ronnie Grisanti’s
closed its doors in August after a 25-year run at its Chickasaw Oaks
Plaza location on Poplar. But Memphians won’t be without the Grisanti
family’s authentic Tuscan cuisine, which has delighted local diners for
generations. Most of the restaurant’s staff — including Ronnie
himself — will relocate to the family’s Germantown location,
Elfo’s, which will be renamed simply Grisanti’s.

Best Mexican

1. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

2. Happy Mexican

3. Taqueria La Guadalupana

In an increasingly saturated local Mexican food scene, El Porton
maintains the top spot with five area locations, quick, reasonably
price lunches, a diverse menu, a full bar, and happy-hour specials.

Best Chinese

1. P.F. Chang’s

2. Wang’s Mandarin House

3. A-Tan

National chain P.F. Chang’s became a big local hit when it opened
its lone Memphis location — on Ridgeway in East Memphis — a
few years ago. In P.F. Chang’s large, opulent dining room, patrons can
feast on a diverse array of Chinese classics such as Mongolian beef,
ginger chicken, and spicy dumplings.

Best Thai

1. Bhan Thai

2. Bangkok Alley

3. Jasmine

Located in a large, converted Midtown house (the former home of
restaurant Maison Raji), Bhan Thai offers intensely flavorful Thai
dishes — masaman curry, pad thai, crispy duck, coconut-milk-based
soups, etc. — in an elegant atmosphere full of character, from
its small, intimate dining rooms to its popular patio in the back.

Best Vietnamese

1. Saigon Le

2. Pho Saigon

3. Pho Hoa Binh

This no-frills Midtown eatery has a loyal clientele because of its
focus on the food, which includes authentic Vietnamese specialties
— fresh spring rolls, great pho soups, vermicelli and tofu
dishes, and plenty of vegetarian options.

Best Japanese/Sushi

1. Sekisui

2. Blue Fin

3. Sekisui Pacific Rim

Restaurateur Jimmy Ishii has come to define Japanese cuisine, and
particularly sushi, in Memphis. The local chain is celebrating its 20th
birthday this year, first opening its Humphreys Center flagship
restaurant in 1989 and now covering the city with five locations.

Justin Fox Burks

Soul Fish, 1st place: ‘Best Home Cooking / Soul Food’

Best Home Cooking/Soul Food

1. Soul Fish

2. The Cupboard

3. Blue Plate Café

For exquisite catfish and hush puppies and a big daily selection of
veggies, it’s hard to order anything else off of Soul Fish’s menu. But
try their smoked half-chicken, and you’ll be doubling up on meals to
satisfy all your menu urges.

Best Vegetarian

BOM 1. Whole Foods Market

2. The Cupboard

3. Jasmine

Whole Foods Market, a foodie oasis on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis,
is more than a grocery store. Its large prepared-foods section —
pizzas, sandwiches, salad bar, bakery, coffee and juice bar — and
dining area make it a popular lunch and dinner spot for vegetarians and
health-food enthusiasts, in particular. Whole Foods also offers cooking
classes to help you find interesting things to do with the fresh and
healthy items they sell.

Best Seafood

1. Tsunami

2. Bonefish

3. The Half Shell

The anchor restaurant of Cooper-Young does it again, taking “Best
Seafood” for the millionth year in a row. Scallops, sea bass, mussels,
you name it, Chef Ben Smith and crew deliver a ship full of great taste
in a sophisticated atmosphere.

Best Pizza

BOM 1. Memphis Pizza Cafe

2. Garibaldi’s Pizza

3. Old Venice

Memphis Pizza Café was an instant hit when it opened in 1993
and has since expanded its local pizza empire to five locations, all
serving tasty, crispy pizzas, including such faves as the white-sauce
“alternative” and the zesty Cajun chicken.

Best Deli

1. Fino’s from the Hill

2. Bogie’s Delicatessen

3. Young Avenue Deli

What says Midtown more than the intersection of Madison and McLean?
And what says a great deli sandwich better than Fino’s from the Hill,
on that very Midtown corner? In addition to the popular made-to-order
sandwiches — cold cuts, cheeses, toppings, all on good crusty
bread — Fino’s offers pasta dishes and grocery items. That’s
Italian!

Best Server

1. Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris

2. Michele Fields, Calhoun’s Sports Bar

3. Jean Pruett, Bardog — tie —

Brent Skelton, The Kitchen

Jeff Frisby at Restaurant Iris must be doing something right. Last
year, he was named one of the city’s best servers in our Best Of poll.
This year, he’s done it again. Must be that Frisby knows not only how
to serve, he knows what to serve when it comes to vino: He’s Restaurant
Iris’ wine manager. (Factoid: All our winners in this category work in
Memphis’ new or newish restaurant/bars. Good to see Flyer
readers appreciate the city’s evolving food scene.)

Best Service

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Houston’s

Drive-thru or in-store, the crew behind the counter at any of
Memphis’ Chick-Fil-A locations have it down pat: your order in your
hands — fast. More amazing (and given the volume of business),
they do it, hands down, with the friendliest service in town.

Justin Fox Burks

Chick-Fil-A, 1st place: ‘Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant’

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

1. Chick-Fil-A

2. Chuck E. Cheese

3. Huey’s

We forgot to mention (see “Best Service”) that the crew at
Chick-Fil-A must have nerves of steel. As a new winner in the
kid-friendly restaurant category, these folks have what it takes when
children combine with fast food. Call it grace under pressure.

Best Local Late-Night Dining

1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Young Avenue Deli

And we mean late. We’re talking, at several of Huey’s
multiple locations, a kitchen that’s open until 2 a.m. Don’t deny it.
At that hour and after some damage, what your body’s craving is a
burger and onion rings.

Best Place for People-Watching

1. Flying Saucer

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Celtic Crossing

The corner of Beale and Second: The wide-open windows at downtown’s
Flyer Saucer aren’t there for no reason. Whether you’re in the
restaurant or passing on the sidewalk, this place was tailor-made for
people-watching. Evidence: During the Memphis Music and Heritage
Festival a few weekends ago, the place was jamming, inside and out.

Best Patio

1. Celtic Crossing

2. Boscos Squared

3. Cafe Olé

In a word: trivia. Celtic’s popular Wednesday-night tournament this
past summer had the patio packed. Any night, any season, though, will
do for a Guinness and some major hanging-out in Cooper-Young. Bonus
attraction: On this patio, you’re only a few steps from the scene on
the street.

Best Local Place That Delivers

1. Garibaldi’s Pizza

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Camy’s

Another new winner in our Best Of poll: Garibaldi’s Pizza —
established 30 years ago by owner Mike Garibaldi — has three
locations for handmade pizzas, pastas, salads, wings, sandwiches,
sweets, and more. Garibaldi’s caters to not only what you’re hungry
for, according to readers, it really delivers.

Justin Fox Burks

Muddy’s Bake Shop, 1st place: ‘Best Bakery’

Best Bakery

1. Muddy’s Bake Shop

2. La Baguette

3. Fresh Market

Again: a new winner. And, according to Muddy’s website, if you’re
rude, whiny, impatient, or otherwise unpleasant, forget stepping inside
this bakeshop. If you’re green-minded and egg-headed (Muddy’s uses eggs
from cage-free, free-range hens), you’re welcome! Plus, who’s to argue
with a cupcake called “Prozac?”

Best Local Coffeehouse

1. High Point Coffee (now closed)

2. Otherlands

3. Café Eclectic — tie —

Republic Coffee

High Point Coffee just closed. (It’s the economy, stupid.) But
Otherlands, Cafe Eclectic, and Republic Coffee — the hotshots
rounding out your picks for best local coffeehouse — havestill
got their vibe going and the caffeine coming.

Best Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Tsunami

3. Huey’s

Iris: It’s in the eye of the beholder. Restaurant Iris, “Best
Restaurant,” according to Memphians who value fine dining. In the space
of a year, nationally recognized chef Kelly English has succeeded in
turning Restaurant Iris into the city’s go-to address for exceptional
French-Creole-inspired cuisine. Doesn’t hurt that the restaurant also
features first-rate service in an intimate, romantic atmosphere.

Best New Restaurant

1. Flight

2. Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen

3. Overton Park Pizze Stone

The interior’s gorgeous, but it’s the food at Flight that has
Flyer readers hooked — and voting. Flight’s “flights”
— a trio of tastings from the entrée, dessert, and wine
menus — make it a wonderful way to sample what’s cooking in the
kitchen. What’s on your table: small plates but great taste. Or you
want regular-size portions? No problem. You can order that way too.