Out to Lunch with Payton

Let’s chat over lunch.

It’s not often that people from all walks of life all around the globe are able to connect with others through one general outlet. For centuries, one of these sources of human connectedness has been found through food.

Food is a part of our daily lives; it’s a common focal point of holidays and is highly interwoven into cultures worldwide. When people are seeking comfort, celebration, networking, leisure, romance, or simple social interaction, a reservation often follows.

I have had a personal interest in cooking and food since I was very young, when the sound of The Food Network playing on the television and the smell of my grandmother’s cooking would fill her home. The importance of connecting over food has been ever present in my own life as family recipes have become markers of memories than simply sustenance.

As a writer who does most of my work from home, I have found myself wanting to reconnect with the community around me more during my workday. Admittedly, I am not from the Ashland, Hanover or Mechanicsville area, but I’ve come to learn in my time working here that these areas are filled with various locally owned restaurants that have played vital roles in their community.

Every other week, I’d like to take readers “out to lunch” in their communities and highlight local restaurants that are sharing their craft while providing opportunities for people to come together in their neighborhoods.

Cooking for her community.

“I think it’s an ancient way of connecting to people, over a meal,” said Suzanne Wolstenholme, owner of Homemades by Suzanne in Ashland.

This week’s first lunch outing has been noted as an Ashland staple for decades. This charming bakery and gourmet deli is located between Randolph-Macon College and Route 54 and is known for their American-homestyle meals that are also available for take-out and catering.

For 44 years, Homemades by Suzanne has brought fresh and quality comfort through their dishes to the Town of Ashland, and later at their branch in downtown Richmond at the John Marshall Ballroom as well.

Before opening her restaurant, Suzanne worked as a secretary in a corporate nine to five setting.

“[At the time], the jobs available for women were pretty basic,” said Suzanne. “You could be a secretary, nurse or teacher.”

Suzanne had realized that after work, she often faced the dilemma of figuring out what was for dinner during a time when take-out options and store bought pre-made food were not as abundant as they are currently.

She felt that this was probably a common issue among other woman in the 1980’s, as more women were able to move into corporate work environments and had more opportunities to prioritize their own careers. Suzanne was inspired by the needs of these women and their families and began her own career shift.

“My idea was for this to be the place where you can pick up food and it’ll taste like it was made in your own kitchen if you had the time,” said Suzanne.

Suzanne went back to school and earned a degree in business administration and management. With this degree, she opened Homemades by Suzannes and began by creating homestyle takeaway meals. Suzanne’s goal was to help make women of the time more successful and their lives easier, while fulfilling her own passion for food and entertaining

“I like to serve food that I know that people are going to like,” said Suzanne. “I like to take a ‘basic’ food and give it a special twist.”

Let’s review.

When I got to have lunch with Suzanne this past week, she provided a few samples of her popular items that her store makes in-house daily.

The Broccoli Quiche and Quiche Lorraine both had a flaky filo pastry crust that created a nice outer crunch for the creamy egg and cheesy filling. The Broccoli Quiche had a light freshness that was brought out by the broccoli. The Quiche Lorraine included bacon that added a good balance of salt and made for a heartier option.

The Chicken Salad on a Homemade Roll had a great flavor balance and the taste of the fresh baked roll set this dish apart from any other chicken salad sandwich I’ve ever had.

Another stand out dish was the Angel Hair Pasta Salad with Buttermilk and Dill dressing. As someone who does not usually love pasta salad, this dish completely changed my perspective. This unique twist on a classic picnic and barbeque dish brought a fresh take with the creamy dill dressing that created a fun and delicious flavor profile.

The Chocolate Mousse Cups are delights for any chocolate lover. The chocolate mousse filling is light and fluffy while not being overly sweet, and the hard chocolate shell encapsulating the mousse adds a fun contrast in texture.

As someone who doesn’t traditionally love lemon desserts, the Mini Lemon Curd Tarts with Real Whipped Cream blew me away. The crust was buttery with a light crunch, while the filling was refreshing, without an artificial or chemical-like lemon flavor. The homemade whipped cream was the perfect creamy, but not overly sweet topping.

Wrapping up.

When asked about how she maintained her drive for the food and service industry, Wolstenholme emphasizes the importance of being passionate about the work you do.

“It’s really important that you choose work that you are passionate about,” said Wolstenholme. “When you own your own business, you’re going to spend a lot of hours doing it. It’s so important that you find what you actually want to get up in the morning and do every single day.”

Overall, my experience out to lunch with Suzanne was delightful and inspiring.

The quality of the food exceeded my expectations, absolutely meeting her goal of providing nourishing meal options that taste like home cooking. The atmosphere has a casual, homey vibe with various antiques and trinkets displayed along shelves, and the smells of fresh bread invite you in as friendly staff greet you behind the ordering counter.

The original goal of the business being to help support other women’s success alongside her own shows how Suzanne has been able to see a need in her community and was able to use food as a means of support.

Tips encouraged.

As you should do at the end of any lunch, I want to leave my readers with a “tip”. However, these will be for cooking rather than monetary, from the local chefs in their own community.

Tip from Homemades by Suzanne: When cooking vegetables like broccoli, green beans, asparagus, etc., blanche them by putting them in a cold-water ice bath. This stops the cooking process, keeping your veggies bright and prevents them from becoming mushy.

I’m excited to begin this journey of connecting more with The Local readers’ community during my lunch hour. Eat well, tip well.