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By Mike Barnhardt

Enterprise Record

Regina “Dee” Burcham credits her grandmother – and television’s Food Network – for inspiring her love of cooking and baking.

Now, the Yadkinville resident has her first brick and mortar business – Elderflour Bakery – on North Main Street in Mocksville. She’s been selling her baked goods for a couple of years at the Cobblestone Farmer’s Market in Winston-Salem, and at monthly dinners.

“My grandmother baked a lot, and I was attached to her hip,” she said on her opening day of business. She remembers her grandmother baking pies, and she would sneak into the kitchen when her grandmother wasn’t looking just to get a few bites off the crust.

When she was in middle school, she began watching The Food Network, and was hooked. A brief stint at culinary school and jobs at several restaurants in Charlotte later, and she’s in Mocksville.

That was by chance. She had brought her pets to a vet in Mocksville, and was riding on North Main Street when she saw the “for lease” sign on the little building at Spring Street. She had dreamed of opening a bakery in a former general store, and this one had character.

Thanks to a grant from Heinz to support minority food businesses, she signed the lease and ordered equipment.

“This building has a lot of character (She’s learned history from neighbors who stop by.),” Dee said. “It brought back a memory of me and my grandpa and the roadside stores he liked. It made me tear up a bit.

“Neighbors have welcomed me here with open arms. I was craving that community aspect, and I’ve found it here with small-town vibes.”

She knows the risks. Start up bakeries aren’t the easiest business to make a living.

“I really feel like this is the right place at the right time. It’s everything I ever wanted it to be. It’s my wildest dream come true, to feed people good food.”

That food includes all kinds of pies and cookies, scones and everything in between. Her most popular item is the chocolate chess pie. She also loves using edible flowers on her creations. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s a time for a lot of pie.”

In other words, if you want a pie for Thanksgiving, put your order in early.

Elderflour, which also offers coffee and teas, will be open Wednesdays-Fridays from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. There is indoor and outdoor seating.

“Elderflour started as a small-batch bakery and I want to keep it small batch. Everything here is made by my own hands.”

Although she spent time in culinary school and at other restaurants, Dee considers herself to be a mostly self-taught baker.

It was that time in school when she had a roommate who made a pun of everything food related.

“Elderflower is my favorite flower,” Dee said. “I used ‘flour’ as an ode to her.” And to the baking. “I love flowers. You can’t see a bouquet of flowers and be in a bad mood.”

Dee prefers apple pie, Funfetti cake and croissants when eating desserts, but really favors the savory side dishes.

“I don’t eat a lot of desserts,” she said. “But I like making them; and I will never work a job I don’t enjoy.”