MANTACHIE • The pie case at Country Rich Desserts is half-empty, and the bakery has been open only an hour.
But that’s a good thing, and owner Carolyn Moss couldn’t be happier. Tired, but happy as she’s been baking and cooking up a storm.
And it’s not just the pies; it’s also the frozen casseroles and the cakes that are selling. The homemade salsa, tuna salad, Greek pasta salad, pineapple orange salad, deviled eggs and cheeseballs are also all selling well.
That success shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows Moss, who’s been cooking since she’s been old enough to do so.
“I’ve been cooking since I was 9, and I could put an entire meal on the table at 11,” Moss said.
Moss’ aunt, Myra Harper, helped put the bakery together and was the one who encouraged her to go full time and open her own business.
Moss has years of experience in the hospitality industry, and she was well known for her baking skills. She would bring pies and cakes to coworkers and even shared them with hotel guests.
“People were always telling me I should open my own bakery,” she said.
She did that in a way. Moss launched Country Rich from her home a couple of years ago, using her home kitchen to bake and cook everything she sold.
But as business grew – she began selling at the Tupelo Farmers Depot and also has her products at Smith’s Nursery in Saltillo – it became clear she needed a bigger location with a much bigger kitchen.
“I was working 20 hours a day, and I still wasn’t getting everything done,” she said.
She turned in her notice to the hotel last fall, expecting to leave in November. But her employers convinced her to stay on a little longer, and it wasn’t until March 11 that she finally was able to leave and devote herself to Country Rich full time.
Moss bought the building for Country Rich, and after getting the place painted and equipped, she finally opened last week. She’s been working hard since, still putting in nearly 20 hours a day to meet demand.
Despite the hectic work schedule, Moss said she finds the act of cooking anything but stressful.
“I just love to cook; it just relaxes me,” she said.
Moss’ repertoire is fairly extensive: 12 casseroles, including chicken spaghetti, chicken and dressing, lasagna and chicken and dumplings; about a dozen pies including pecan, chess, chocolate chess, caramel, key lime, apple, strawberry, cheesecake, chocolate cream and coconut cream; and cakes, from pineapple upside down cake to a strawberry cake and everything in between.
The recipes are mostly her own or her mother’s or grandmother’s. The banana pudding recipe comes from her great grandmother. A couple even came off the internet, Moss said with a laugh.
“I’m just so proud that Aunt Myra helped me and encouraged me to open this,” Moss said. “I just love to bake and I love to feed people. This is a dream come true.”
Country Rich is located at 3508 Highway 371 North in Mantachie. Hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The business also provides updates on Facebook.
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