HOW MS. LILLIAN'S LOUISIANA PIE SPICES IN A WAS BORN!
I was born in a small country town of Montgomery, Louisiana and there were eight children living in one house. We were poor but there was a lot of love and my grandparents and parents knew how to survive. My great grandmother Ruby and Grandmother Naomi use to bake for the holidays. I remember how the aroma had the house smelling so good and the smell after the deserts had been eaten scent was still in the TEA CABINET. I still remember the canning in the summer months, storing up for the winter months; we were taught to survive and become independent. There were no recipes and everything was done by site and taste. When I was fifteen I took a Home Economics class which was a 9th grade requirement and I was introduced to measurements when baking. This further increased my zeal for baking and watching my grandparents. My family moved to Houston, Texas and my mother continued the legacy of baking but there was no place like home. I stilled continued baking and my grandparents were so proud that I was the only girl who continued to bake.
I am a single mother of two children Shelita (deceased) and Desmon. We lived in Houston for many years until 1994 when Michelin North America moved my family to Greenville, South Carolina. My mother and I were involved in a fund raiser for our church baking Sweet Potato Pies; we baked them at church. On that Wednesday night for Bible Study all you could smelling was pies and we sold we sold almost 100 pies that night. I found out this pie were only baked in the Fall months for Thanksgivings and Christmas. Everyone said they loved them but there were only a limited amount of people who knew how to bake the pies. I saw a need because in Texas and Louisiana it's now a seasonal dessert. I saw a great need and continued to bake the pies.
My daughter had chosen to moved back to Houston, Texas to attend college and if she had to bake the dessert for family functions she would always call for my assistance. September 10, 2001 my daughter was diagnosed with bone cancer. After many series of chemo she passed away in July 31, 2006; I vowed never to bake again. Lailah was born in June 2006 and her parents allowed her to be a very important part of my life as I went through the worst time of my life. As she got older I wanted to pass on to her all the things a grandmother had taught me. I wanted my daughter's spirit to live on forever so I named my business SheDes Enterprises, LLC from my two children.
In 2012 I began a pilot program and begin figuring out my grand parents recipe so that I could share with the world. I wanted to pass my love of baking on to Lailah and we share in the bond that I had with my grandparents and my daughter. I allowed a friend who had never baked in his life usinf my mixture to bake a Sweet Potato Pie. He was skeptical but accepted and was proud of his accomplishments; he begin baking his family desserts. A friend in New York purchased my product and decided she would also use the product in an Apple Pie. I knew if it made an Apple Pie it would also work with a Peach Pie. Lailah's mom is not a baker, but following my simple directions she made the perfect pie everytime. I showed Lailah one time how to make a easy Peach Pie and now she makes them herself with very little help from me. I wanted to keep my children's spirit alive so I decided to name my business SheDes after my children.
In November 2013 I shipped Oprah Winfrey some of my Pie Spices and to my surprise I received a response back and was featuring on her OWNers website which is a Community website. I received my tee-shirt from Oprah Winfrey which I proudly wear as part of my uniform. I also sent some to Rachel Ray and she responded with an post card showing her gratitude and enouraged me to keep up the good work.
I had to change the name of the product several times because my customers kept telling me all the ways my Ms. Lillian's Louisiana Pie Spices is being used. I've shipped my product to New York, North Carolina, California, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia. My goal is to have this product shipped all over the world.
Old fashion baking is back, it's unique, quick, easy and delicious baking in a bag! All in one product in a bag will make a varity of different foods: Sweet Potato, Apple, Peach and Pumpkin, Fruit Cobblers, Fritters, Turnovers, Tarts; on Sweet Potato Patties, Oatmeal, Baker Apples, Mircowave Fruit, Souffle' and the list increase daily.
