Cherri in Action

Hear stories from Cherri-inspired cooking. Family recipes were introduced in this family by Sharon Bennett. Many sweet and humorous stories have followed cooking and for good reason. Check out more about Cherri here!

  • When I moved into my house in Charlotte, she [Sharon] was of great help. She counseled me on kitchen colors and such. I was wanting black-and-white, but got nervous about the white. She said at one point, I like a white counter cause then you can see when it's clean. As we kept talking about it, she reiterated whatever decision I made would be the right one. (I went with black and white and loved it!)

    So many good memories, so many good meals. I spent quite a lot of San Marco time with the family (Les, Sherry, and kids) when I was in middle school and those dinners really helped me build confidence and interpersonal skills during a rough time.

    – Scott Reynolds (Nephew of Sharon)

  • A tradition I hold close to my heart is when Brandon and I make Mema’s chocolate pie for Thanksgiving and her chocolate fudge for Christmas. We started this a few years back when Mema began struggling with her dementia and wanting to keep this piece of her alive. Even if we are silent the whole time, we make these recipes every year without fail. It's a great time for sibling bonding and relaxing to cook. Brandon and I cherished Mema so much that it is a great way for us to try and live up to her legacy. And we get to eat chocolate, so that's a plus!

    – Emily Singleton (Sharon’s Granddaughter)

  • We were in Helen, GA, one year for Thanksgiving. Brandon (10) and Emily (8) were young but old enough to play in the creek behind the cabin. Mom and Dad came to stay with us for a few days. The weather was mostly beautiful, but one day was rainy and gloomy. Mom and I decided to try out a new Pepper Jelly Recipe. The cabin kitchen was situated open to the family room with a huge peninsula countertop. 

    Mom and I unloaded all of our veggies and she arranged them as if we were doing a photo shoot for Southern Living. Dad, Jon and the kids were all still in PJs watching something on TV. As we began to chop, dice and measure, Mom looked up and started explaining the steps of our process to…. no one. I looked up at her like she was nuts and then laughed hysterically when I realized she was “performing a cooking show”! We both started talking to “the camera”. My family started laughing at us, once they determined that the vinegar hadn’t gone to our heads and made us crazy. 

    We cooked, performed, giggled, jarred, and waited to hear each canning lid “pop”, a signal that the jelly had set. 

    It was a wonderful day, a memory I will treasure forever, and the most delicious Pepper Jelly I’ve ever eaten. 

    – Candace Singleton (Daughter of Sharon)