A Family Business Introduces A Family Legacy

It gives me great pride to introduce my grandmother Maw Maw’s Apple Cake into our Sip and Ship coffee houses. This holds significance to me in a number of ways. First, my Maw Maw was a strong woman that I thought resembled every ounce of Rosie the Riveter. After all, she was a product of the depression era.
From a young age, I can remember my family piling into a Honda Civic hatchback and driving 12 hours straight from Chicago to Virginia to visit her and my grandfather for vacation. Maw Maw would be waiting for us at the front door with a smile on her face, always happy to see us. A freshly baked apple cake was usually waiting in the kitchen.
Secondly, Maw Maw could sew anything; drapes, dresses, trousers, even matching dresses for my sister and me. She not only made clothes for her family, but also matching dresses for my sister and me, and did a countless number of alterations for many others in her home town. She grew her own vegetables; corn, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes and peas, pioneering the farm-to-table concept cherished today. She mowed her own lawn and bagged her own leaves until very late in life, all while raising four children of her own. If that wasn’t enough, she also, lovingly cared for my grandfather (Paw Paw) who suffered, as long as I knew him, from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). So when my family came to visit, it was all I could do but to stay out of her way.
Every minute was accounted for: Maw Maw would rise at the crack of dawn, power back a strong cup of coffee and then begin her work. Like her coffee, she was strong, able to physically lift my grandfather in and out of bed, dress, bathe and feed him, and then gracefully wheel him to his den so he could sit for hours at his typewriter. And then, off she went to tend to the chores of the day, often whirling by me as I sat in awe of her. Mind you, she loved her life and never complained once. She did what had to be done and never asked for anything more, she always made the most of everything. This imprinted on me a strong work ethic, a determination to get the work done, and to be thankful for what I have.
So, I have Maw Maw’s amazing cake to share with you. I hope you will enjoy it as much as my family has. Our promise to you is that it is delicious and that Sip and Ship will continue her tradition of making it from scratch.
Our team looks forward to serving you!
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