Memorializing MeMaw
Eat Drink Mississippi|December/January 2017

One Cheese Straw at a Time.

Gennie Taylor
Memorializing MeMaw

MeMaw’s Cheese Straws began in 2008 when family and friends who had tasted the crispy, crunchy delicacy that MeMaw had prepared for many showers, wedding receptions, and parties and knew that hers were the best, encouraged Angie Edgar to begin selling her specialty. “The business began sales during the Christmas holidays that year, and we haven’t looked back since that time,” Edgar, a retired Business Education and Computer teacher from Manchester Academy in Yazoo City, said.

The company was named for Edgar’s mother, Velma H. Hearst, from Benton. She was called “MeMaw” by her grandchildren.

“The name ‘MeMaw’s Cheese Straws’ was an answer to prayer, and God immediately put us to work and opened doors and windows to introducing everyone to what MeMaw had always prepared as an act of love,” Edgar said. “We lost our mother, grandmother, and friend in 2010; however, she lives on every day in this business. They are prepared in small batches with that zesty little kick at the end—just the way MeMaw made them.”

Edgar said her mother was the best cook she’s ever known.

“For as long as I can remember, my mama made cheese straws at Christmas, for church socials, baby and wedding showers, parties, and receptions, Edgar said. “I began to prepare her cheese straws when the process of squeezing them out by hand became hard for her to do. I prepared them for lots of occasions, as well as gifts to teachers, friends, and family. The response to my Mama’s recipe kept coming back the same: ‘Angie, you need to market her cheese straws.’”

This story is from the December/January 2017 edition of Eat Drink Mississippi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December/January 2017 edition of Eat Drink Mississippi.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM EAT DRINK MISSISSIPPIView All
Spring Celebrations
Eat Drink Mississippi

Spring Celebrations

Tasty Sandwiches Perfect for Special Occasion Brunches

time-read
2 mins  |
April/May 2020
Local Chefs Rave About French Hermit Oyster Company
Eat Drink Mississippi

Local Chefs Rave About French Hermit Oyster Company

Anita and Mike Arguelles own what is arguably Mississippi’s most successful off-bottom oyster farm, French Hermit Oyster Company.

time-read
3 mins  |
April/May 2020
Hooray for Herbs
Eat Drink Mississippi

Hooray for Herbs

Fresh fruits and vegetables may be one of the best things about warmer weather, but don’t forget about fresh herbs!

time-read
3 mins  |
April/May 2020
Old Waverly Farm Hams are Delicious Year-Round
Eat Drink Mississippi

Old Waverly Farm Hams are Delicious Year-Round

Old Waverly Farm does one thing, and they do it well. “We make hams and we sell them one ham at a time,” says Dee Berry. And many in the Golden Triangle area of Mississippi, and now around the country, will agree it’s the best ham they’ve ever had.

time-read
4 mins  |
April/May 2020
Enjoy a Taste of the Tropics for Breakfast
Eat Drink Mississippi

Enjoy a Taste of the Tropics for Breakfast

Diet and exercise are integral parts of the formula for a healthy life. Though few people may look forward to giving up certain foods in favor of more nutritious diets, healthy, low-calorie foods don’t have to be boring and bland.

time-read
1 min  |
April/May 2020
Now's the Time to Teach At-Home Nutrition
Eat Drink Mississippi

Now's the Time to Teach At-Home Nutrition

With a lot of parents facing the challenge of keeping housebound kids happy and healthy, this is the perfect time to teach kids the basics of nutrition and eating right.

time-read
2 mins  |
April/May 2020
Growing Herbs at Home Is Fun
Eat Drink Mississippi

Growing Herbs at Home Is Fun

How many times have you needed fresh herbs and your only option was in the little plastic containers in the produce section?

time-read
3 mins  |
April/May 2020
Great Catch
Eat Drink Mississippi

Great Catch

Melissa Cookston's Salmon Series Switches Up Traditional Method of Grilling Fish

time-read
4 mins  |
April/May 2020
Alexandra Minton Earns National Honor as Level-Two Sommelier
Eat Drink Mississippi

Alexandra Minton Earns National Honor as Level-Two Sommelier

While growing up in Ocean Springs, Alexandra Minton had a passion for music.

time-read
3 mins  |
April/May 2020
A Taste of Magnoliaa: Make Tonight Pho-nomenal
Eat Drink Mississippi

A Taste of Magnoliaa: Make Tonight Pho-nomenal

DIVIAN CONNER is a Mississippi mama of four ‘not so little’ little ones. Coming up with recipes, trying new ones, and feeding her crew of tweens and teens is her passion. Southern recipes, easy recipes, sorta hard recipes, but always delicious recipes is what you will find on her food blog, www.divianlconner.com. Now venturing into outdoor cooking over an open fire, Divian is fascinated with camp cooking and entertaining.

time-read
3 mins  |
April/May 2020