Macon Magazine

First stop: Ma Dukes on Rocky Creek Road Owner, operator Theresa Cohen has been cooking since she was 7 years old. Having learned from her grandmother, she believes this is her gift and loves sharing it with others. The term "ma dukes" is often used to describe a Southern mother or even a neighborhood woman who guides and feeds the children on her street who may not have much support at home. Cohen said her son's friend called her "ma dukes" once and it caught on. When it came time to name her new restaurant, it was the obvious choice. The first time I set foot in Ma Dukes, it felt familiar. From the perfectly baked mac and cheese, to the Donnel Jones playing overhead, Ma Dukes really did feel like someone was taking me in and encouraging me to give the world my best. As Walter and I sat down to try their chicken, cabbage, mac and cheese and corn bread for the first time, I asked him what he thought made the difference between Southern food and soul food. In typical Walter fashion, he began with a saying, "Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting tomato in a fruit salad. Some things you just know. Grits may be Southern, but if I was making soul food for a Northerner, grits would not be on the menu." As he said this, Kela, who served our food, nodded in agreement. "Soul food doesn't have measurements," she said. "Southern food follows a recipe, but soul food can't be found in a cookbook or online; it's cultural. You just know what you know from your grandma." Walter and I agreed that a plate at Ma Dukes' was a plate that will make you feel good. The chicken was flavorful and had just the right moisture, the cabbage was perfect by itself or with a little hot sauce, and the cornbread was as it should be: sweet and crispy and made with water. Soon, Cohen herself joined us. I asked her what gave her food its soul. "I put a lot of love in my food. You know, God is love. Everything I make has some of that spirit in it and I take a lot of pride in what I do," she said. Cohen's passion and gift for cooking is evident with every bite, and has soul that can't be fabricated. Second stop: Dawson's Kitchen in Payne City From first glance, Dawson's Kitchen has the warmth of home. The brick and wooden building on Brookdale Avenue has all the classic Southern markings: white rocking chairs, a dozing cat on the porch and a slate with the daily produce scribbled in chalk across it. The smell of good cooking draws in passersby, who discover the inside is just as cozy as the outside. The tables are covered with the classic, checkered tablecloths prevalent in any Georgian's childhood. The windows feature stained glass with Southern summer scenes. A look in any direction will tempt you with baked goods, jarred preserves, fresh produce and, of course, that cooking that lured you in to begin with. The rotating menu features many Southern favorites, including my go-to: fried green tomatoes. There is little joy more profound than piling one's plate with fried chicken, broccoli casserole, fried green tomatoes and a roll, crescendoed with a tall glass of sweet tea and topped off with banana pudding. Kitchen manager Pat Bivins has been feeding townies and transplants alike from Dawson's Kitchen for 20 years. Her mission, to bring happiness to others through her food, has been fulfilled with each spoonful of black-eyed peas or bite of fried chicken. Though Pat said the "soul" found in her food is derived from the ham hocks she cooks with, co-owner Susan Moore insisted that Pat's food is tasty for another reason. "Pat cooks with love," Susan said. "When Dawson and I opened the kitchen and market in 1998, we were unsure if our dream would be sustainable. But when Pat joined our team in 1999, the quality of her food helped establish us as a Macon fixture." The love and passion of the entire team to provide Maconites with good food is evident from the sights to the smells to the tastes. Dawson's Kitchen embodies the feeling of home and, as Walter rightly observed, a good Sunday meal from the South. Left, top: Pat Bivins of Dawson's Kitchen. Left, bottom: Food from Dawson's Kitchen. Above, left: food from Ma Dukes. Above, left: Ma Dukes' Theresa Cohen. APRIL/MAY 2020 | maconmagazine.com 41

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