Meet Our Finalists: Cheryl Thompson – Cheryl’s Nice and Naughty Sweet Potato Pie

Cheryl’s pie story inspires marquee titles like “The Sweet Kiss Goodbye.” In this scene you don’t want to listen from behind the door; you want a seat at the table whatever the case. Cheryl’s Nice and Naughty Sweet Potato Pie shows how home bakers are putting a new twist on the traditional sweet potato pie. Cheryl’s N&N has a gingersnap cookie crust, with sweet potato/cream cheese filling. It’s topped with brown sugar glazed chopped walnuts. Smooth, Snap, Crunch. That’s sweet revenge.

Read Cheryl’s Chery’s Nice and Naughty Sweet Potato Pie Story
Cheryl’s Nice and Naughty Sweet Potato Pie
Cheryl Thompson
Health Researcher
Washington, DC

My grandmother knew about baking pies and how to keep a man happy. “Learn to cook well and keep a clean house and you’ll be able to keep a man”, she’d say.



Together we’d be up to our elbows in flour; the preheating oven banging and ticking; breathing the aroma of reheating drippings from the last time we baked. Since that time there have been lots of request for my pies. Grandma taught me to put love in my cooking. She never told me how I might need to get even with a man who would do me wrong.



After being crossed too many times by my man we agreed to sort things out. For me there was no sorting necessary. I wanted one man, he wanted a harem. That night I made an unforgettable dinner, unbeknownst to him – his last supper, and topped the evening off with my unbelievably decadent and flavorful sweet potato pie, topped with walnuts. We talked and laughed for hours, no yelling. I served each course and when it came to dessert he couldn’t get enough of my pie and oh, how I enjoyed serving it up. He suddenly noticed that I had packed up the few belongings he had at my house and I gently told him that we were done. I had found my freedom and he had tasted my sweet revenge, for the last time. Like the proverb says, ‘revenge is a dish best served cold” – just like my pie.

Who will win!? Makes-Me-Wanna SHOUT! Pie Baking Challenge Final Five, Tuesday, April 23, 5-7 PM at Eatonville Restaurant, 2121 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010. No admission fee. Make your reservations by calling 202-332-ZORA (9672). Percentage of sales for the evening will be donated to Martha’s Table.