On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," baker Nicole Morris joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss Lucy Pearl's. Located in downtown's Post Market food hall, Lucy Pearl's sells Southern-inspired cakes, cookies, pies, and other desserts.
Morris begins the conversation by explaining how she created Lucy Pearl's by adapting recipes passed down from her mother, Sherry Lucille, and aunts. After building a following at area farmers markets, she made the leap to the food hall when it opened last year. Morris reports that things are going well; she can sell 100 or more of the bakery's most popular cakes each week, typically a slice at a time.
Sandler asks the baker why the food hall location appealed to her. She explains that she appreciated the market-style atmosphere and the diversity. A prime location on a corner helped, too.
"I like that they allowed me to build it out with a counter," Morris says. "Growing up, a lot of our life decision conversations were made at the kitchen table over a piece of cake or a piece of pie . . . To have that counter with an open kitchen, you have that connection . . . We interact with the customer from the minute they walk up to the counter. It gives you that nurturing feeling that I think a lot of restaurants lose."
Listen to the full interview to hear Norris share the stories behind some of our most popular flavors as well as her future plans.
Prior to the interview, Sandler and co-host Linda Salinas discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: the winners of the 2022 CultureMap Tastemaker Awards; Austin bar Nickel City's plans to open a Houston location; and James Beard Award winner Robert Del Grande's transition to Chef Emeritus at The Annie Cafe and Turner's.
In the restaurant of the week segment, Salinas and Sandler discuss their recent meal at Heights & Co., the new patio bar from Savoir operating partner Brian Doke. They find a lot to like about the new concept, including its well-executed cocktails and appealing menu of classic comfort food.
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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify. Listen to it Saturday at 1 pm on ESPN 97.5.
Baker Nicole Morris is this week's guest.
