| Former Miss Tennessee has sweet tooth for chess squares from UC pastry shop | | Posted: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 9:02 pm
| By KEVIN BOWDEN
Staff Reporter
The wife of one of the members of the award-winning country music group Rascal Flatts apparently has a real sweet tooth for chess squares. But not just any chess squares. Allison (Alderson) DeMarcus prefers the chess squares made by Missy Edmaiston Taylor at Sugar Momma’s in downtown Union City.
Mrs. DeMarcus is the wife of Jay DeMarcus, the bassist for Rascal Flatts.
“My mom, Jane Alder-son, is the executive director of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant and Paige (Burcham) sent us Sugar Momma’s chess squares as a Christmas present one year,” Mrs. DeMarcus told The Messenger. “They are my absolute favorite in the whole world. I would like to tell you that my husband, Jay DeMarcus, loves them but he has no idea because I’ve devoured all of them before he can ever even try one.”
“If I lived in Union City, I would never stop eating Missy’s chess squares. They are nothing short of amazing,” she said.
Rascal Flatts originated in Columbus, Ohio, in 1999 and is made up of musicians DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney. The trio has been a major force in country music since they were discovered performing in Nashville’s Printer’s Alley in 1999. That was the year the then Miss Alderson was named Miss Tennessee.
The country music trio has produced nine hit albums, has a dozen No. 1 country singles in the United States and has won more than 40 country music awards over the past 12 years.
Rascal Flatts’ music has made the big screen in such movies as “Evan Almighty” and “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” The group has also appeared on “CSI” and “American Idol” and has performed with a variety of artists including Shakira and Carrie Underwood. Rascal Flatts also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Mrs. DeMarcus has strong ties to Union City through Ms. Burcham and her downtown gown shop, JoAnn’s.
As for Mrs. Taylor, the in a string of baking experiments that has become a big hit for her customers.
Mrs. Taylor opened her pastry shop in mid-June 2011 in a move that she described as fulfilling a dream she had of owning her own business. Her countertop and a cooler are always filled with a colorful selection of cupcakes and baked treats.
When she’s not busy helping customers, Mrs. Taylor is hard at work in her kitchen. She does all the baking and is always trying new recipes and new flavors.
Mrs. DeMarcus prefers the strawberry chess squares.
The current Miss Tennessee, Erin Hatley, is also a fan of Sugar Momma’s and prefers the cheesecake cupcakes with cheesecake icing, but couldn’t eat any while she was preparing for Miss America where she garnered a top 10 finish last year.
When asked about her reaction when she learned Mrs. DeMarcus was one of her customers, Mrs. Taylor smiled and replied, “It was shocking to me.”
Later this month, for the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant in Jackson, Mrs. Taylor will be making some special crown cookies for the pagaent contests. They will be delivered to the pageant by Ms. Burcham.
JoAnn’s is the official wardrobe sponsor for the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant and Ms. Burcham has served as a pageant consultant for the past seven years.
“During prom season, we’ll call Sugar Momma’s and order cupcakes for our customers,” Ms. Burcham said.
“We had one customer who tried a cupcake and liked it so much she went down the street and bought 200,” she said. “We just really believe in helping our local businesses and Sugar Momma’s has been really good to us and we’re happy to return the favor.” Published in The Messenger 6.13.12 | | | | |
