Cora Barnes lived most of her life in Chandler. She was well-known as Big Mama. She had that magic touch when it came to cooking things like chili beans, homemade cinnamon rolls and tea cakes. Another well-liked thing was a butter roll. Ms. Velma Nickels said that was her favorite. And, she passed that good cooking on to her daughter Lucille Wilson.

• Photo: Cora Barnes.tif

Everyone in the neighborhood knows Lucille as “Porbam.” She makes the chili beans, fried chicken and everyone’s favorite is her teacakes. She is always getting a call to make someone some tea cakes. If you want to know what love tastes like, ask Ms. Lucille to make you some tea cakes. And, she always prepared food if someone in the neighborhood passed away; she made food for the funeral. She also made food for the neighborhood clean-up in the ’70s.

• Photo: Lucille Wilson.tif