Pamela Lambert could not believe her eyes. There, on page 26 of July’s Neighbors magazine, was a recipe that she’d been searching a good 10 years for. It was the Sorghum Skillet Cake recipe, from Faye Hammonds of Calhoun County.

“My grandmother used to make skillet cake—and, oh, it was so good—but I never got her to write down the recipe, and I’ve always regretted that,” Pamela said. “I’d all but given up hope of ever finding anybody who even would know what I was talking about.”

As soon as she saw the recipe, Pamela headed straight for the kitchen, and as the aroma of skillet cake filled her Grand Bay home, the memories it brought back just might have been even sweeter than the cake itself. “I had the most wonderful evening, just smelling and tasting those memories,” Pamela said.

So thrilled was Pamela to find the skillet cake recipe that she asked Neighbors to forward a special thank-you note to Faye. And “The Country Kitchen,” ever on the lookout for great cooks with great recipes, took the liberty of asking Pamela to share some of her favorites with other Neighbors readers. She was happy to oblige, with a collection ranging from her grandmother’s Ham Pie to Pamela’s highly popular Pickled Okra. Although Pamela and her husband, Tony, garden extensively, they aren’t farmers: Pamela is a one-woman home-improvement and cleaning service, and Tony drives an 18-wheeler. Still, the Lamberts are longtime dues-paying members of Alfa Farmers, and for good reason.

“I know the money’s going to help farmers, and I am all for that,” the Mobile County resident says. “I know where our food comes from. I don’t intend to just sit here and watch farmers go out of business if I can help it.”

Many thanks, Pamela, for the recipes and for the support.