Traditional Arts in Upstate New York. Traditional Arts of Upstate New York
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Bea Reynolds

Burke, Franklin County
Grand Champion Cook
(1928-2002)


Bea Reynolds of Burke has always been well known to her family, church, and community as a special home maker. For years, while raising her family, she also contributed to church suppers and bake sales at her local Methodist Church. From a big family, she learned early from her mother.  While her husband Eric showed cows and raced harness horses at the Franklin County Fair in Malone, Bea began in 1985 to enter breads, doughnuts, rolls, cookies, cakes, canned vegetables, fruit, and pickles, and one each in all nine categories of pies. She came away the Grand Champion Cook, having received the most blue ribbons. Each year since, she has entered as many as 100 classes and received upwards of 40 blue ribbons. While she also enters flowers and needlework, Bea’s cooking—especially her lemon meringue pies, carrot  cakes, and raised doughnuts—are her specialties.

Click here to listen to the TAUNY/NCPR "Meet the Masters" story about Bea.

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