SAM/MARY LAUDERDALE, MARY OF PUDDIN HILL
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Recipe Introduction
Author: Linda Burson. I am marketing assistant at Mazon Associates, Inc., a 35-year-old family-owned factoring company in Irving, Texas. I created our monthly newsletter, Building Bridges, in May 2008 and enjoy writing informative, interesting and fun content for entrepreneurs and small businesses as a part of our marketing strategy. www.mazon.com
I also have an eBay store, Burson General Store. This is more of a hobby for me where I can sell my passion for crochet,...
Recipe Link: http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Loans/5721/Sam-and-Mary-Lauderdale-Mary-of-Puddin-Hill.html SAM AND MARY LAUDERDALE, MARY OF PUDDIN HILL
It doesn't take long for folks to latch on to a good thing. And it certainly didn't take long for Mary of Puddin Hill to become a tradition for those who like to give -- and eat -- superb treats at holiday time. In fact, this Greenville, Texas company has become world famous for the delights that come from its kitchens: fruitcakes, pecan pies, chocolates, cookies and candies. The Mary of PuddinHill tradition began in 1840 when James and Mary Horton came to the heart of the Blackland Prairie region of northeast Texas. James had received 620 acres of land as payment for his services to the Republic of Texas. As his descendants like to tell it, the new country was short on money, but long on land, so that's how James was paid.
It had rained the day the Hortons arrived at their new home. Rainwater makes any patch of blackland soil a soggy, gummy mess and, despite the conditions, James insisted that he and his family look around the site. He led them to the crest of a small hill, while Mary struggled through the thick, black mud. "This is like walking through pudding," she said. It was inspiration enough.James spread his arms wide and proudly shouted, "Well then, welcome to Puddin Hill!"That Mary Horton was the first "Mary" on Puddin Hill, and it was her recipe for pecan fruitcake that was passed on from generation to generation as a holiday tradition.
In 1948, more than a century later, Mary's great-granddaughter, Mary Horton Lauderdale, and her husband Sam were students at the University of Texas. Mary was a home economics graduate and Sam was a G.I. Bill chemical engineering student. "The G.I. Bill allowed us $90 a month and we were hungrier than that," recalls Mary.At Christmas, Mary gave a fruitcake baked from the heirloom recipe to her home economics professors, who said, "If you ever need any extra money, this cake will sell." The next Christmas, Mary and Sam started making fruitcakes in their tiny apartment. Mary's parents loaned them money to buy the ingredients, and friends helped prepare the cakes. Five hundred pounds of fruitcake later, they realized that they might be on to something.
Sam and Mary decided to return to Mary's hometown of Greenville and give the business several years of all-out effort. They converted the laundry room at Mary's parents' home into a small bakery and went to work. The business grew and, several years later, they were able to purchase a few acres of the Puddin Hill Farm to build a new facility.Theycontinued to grow and improve every year since then. They baked thousands of pounds of fruitcake over the years, andadded chocolates and other baked goods to their product line.
Great-grandmother Mary Horton's original recipewas never changed. The cakes (pecan, apricot and walnut varieties) are still made with an abundance ofnuts, cherries, pineapple and dates with just enough batter to hold it all together, using no spices or citron, and no preservatives or additives. "Little Puds" are made with the same recipe, but are miniature fruitcakes individually baked for serving convenience. They are named for the Lauderdale's' daughter, Pud. "She was nicknamed 'Little Pud' before she was even born," Mary relates.
The Puddin Hill Store was added in 1975, and in 1980 the candy kitchen was added. Here, luscious treats such as caramel and pecan clusters and rich fudge are covered in melted chocolate. A crunchy nut brittle loaded with pecans, appropriately called "Pecan Krunch," is cooked in the copper pots and poured out onto cooling tables where it is rolled into a thin layer. Elsewhere, molded chocolates are prepared for the retail store.
In 1996, Mary was named president of Retail Confectioners International, the global association for small retail candy manufacturers. In 1998, she received the prestigious Kettle Award from the candy industry, recognizing her as candy manufacturer of the year.
Mary and Sam ran the 43,000 square footbakery/factory until it was sold in1999toKen Bain, a certified public accountant. Ken said he was not looking to buy a business at the time but agreed as it was a good basis for a good operation and he liked the products. All of Ken and wife Cynthia's sons (including Cynthia)have worked for the company at one time or another. Under Ken's ownership, he has maintained respect for the company's past and hasn't changed much of what had already been done.
While the company sells pecan cakes, fruitcakes, candies, etc. all year long, in December product sales swell to well over a thousand cakes making the Christmas season a hectic but happy time of year. Production is typically stepped up in September when the 25-employee base is increased to about 70. Up to half a million catalogs are mailed out and orders come in from all over the United States. Shipping the orders presents a challenge as thousands of packages are mailed in early December. After Christmas, the place again settles down. Thecatalog business and the Mary of Puddin Hill Store keeps everyone busy year-round.
Because the factory and store are located on Interstate 30 in Greenville,it attracts many travelers. There are tempting samples of many Puddin Hill products, and visitors are urged to try them. The store also carries gourmet foods, one-of-a-kind gift packages, cookbooks and a wide variety of candies. Other highlights include specially designed and commemorative giant Easter eggs made of chocolate,a doll house built of300 pounds of white chocolateand a large carousel with chocolate ponies, all created by renowned artist, Roberta Gustafson.
In early 2011, the company facedeconomic challenges as well as adown-turn in traffic flow tothe store due tomonths ofheavyhighway construction in Greenville. In May 2011, Ken made thetough decision to close the retail store and deli with its three dining rooms (137 seats), In August the company was nearly sold but with new financial support, Kenreopened the retail store in early November, and expects sales this year to quickly rebound.
After selling the business in 1999, Mary's time was consumed caring for her husband, Sam, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer 's disease and passed away in 2001. Upon Sam's death, Mary said she "flunked retirement," and reinvented herself several times over by workingwith a catering business, helping her grandsons with their business, and in 2005 working at a retail store in downtown Greenville. Even as she battled cancer for a third time, Mary refused to give up, missing as little time at work as possible and inspiring everyone with her courage and sheer determination, showing everyone that life is always an open book to be lived with a sense of adventure. She passed away at home on October 4, 2011. Mary would have celebrated her 86th birthday on December 1st.
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