Grandmom Minnie’s to open Thursday

COSHOCTON - George Jones Sr. has many fond memories of his mother’s cooking.

They include homemade meals on Sundays in Salisbury, Maryland, before heading to church services at the House of Jacob, as well as Minnie Rose Jones’ desserts — often peach, cherry or cherry/peach cobbler.

“We couldn’t wait to get back from church for dessert,” George Jones said with a laugh. “When we were growing up, she would make rolls, gravy with mashed potatoes, then cobbler for dessert. It would be the works.”

People loved her old-fashioned, made-from-scratch recipes, he said, and often made special requests after sampling them at flea markets in Salisbury, where she would sell her culinary creations. People would ask for more of her “munchies,” and the name stuck, he said.

“People just loved it. She knew her stuff. She knew what she was doing.”

Minnie Jones died in 2013 at age 88, but George Jones’ memories and her cooking inspired him to carry on her legacy and dream of becoming a household name by sharing her recipes.

Now, the dream shared by George Jones and his mother is about to be realized.

With a lot of hard work, the help of family and his mother’s recipes, Grandmom Minnie’s Munchies will open for business Thursday at 1146 Walnut St.

Finding the location is a blessing, George Jones said, because patrons can stop in, sit down and order a barbecue lunch and dessert, or place orders for special occasions. But above all, he said he is thrilled he is finally able to share his mother’s homemade cooking.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to do this because my mother taught me everything I know about cooking,” he said.

George Jones Jr. said he and his siblings often got to sample desserts his father would prepare using Minnie Rose Jones’ recipes. And helping his father get the business started is exciting for the entire family, he said.

“I think it’s going to be a great asset for Coshocton and for our family. He’s always taken care of us. Now we are happy to help him with his dream.”

His daughter, Merit Anna Jones, did the drawing of her ancestor that is now the company’s logo and graces the uniforms and the sign atop of the establishment. She said being a part of her father’s dream feels great.

“It’s awesome because he has wanted to do this for so long, I’m very proud of him.”

The elder George Jones and members of his family, including his nine children, have been busy over the past few weeks getting ready to open for businesses.

Homemade cinnamon rolls, miniature pecan pies, cobblers, lemon tarts and cream-filled brownie bites are some of the homemade goodies customers will find at Grandmom Minnie’s Munchies.

In addition to a variety of desserts and treats, barbecue meals also will be available. Baby back ribs, chicken, coleslaw, macaroni and potato salad, green beans, and rolls are some of the menu items made fresh from Minnie Rose Jones’ original recipes.

The elder George Jones’ daughter, Martha Young, said opening the establishment is not only a dream come true for her father, but a lasting tribute to her grandmother, and the experience is emotional.

“I just remember her when I was very young, and her being very particular about her cooking. She was a perfectionist,” Young said. “I remember growing up, and Pop cooking in the kitchen. He would always talk about how she taught him from a young age to cook.”

Today, she is excited to be a part of the establishment that bears her grandmother’s name.

“We are all really proud of it. It’s a blessing. It’s close to our hearts, and it keeps her alive,” Young said.

Over the years, the elder George Jones combined what he learned from his mother with his own experience as a cook to perfect his craft.

As a young man in the U.S. Navy, he would often cook meals when his wife was working, he said. His mother instructed him how to perfect his cooking skills.

“We would spend hours on the phone. She would tell me how to do this and that,” he said.

As a member of the House of Jacob, he followed in his mother’s footsteps, who was head cook for the church in Salisbury, when he relocated from Maryland to Coshocton in 1991 to take a position as dietary manager Jacob Dwelling Nursing Home in Warsaw. He also used his cooking experience to prepare the church’s annual wild game dinners.

Although the elder George Jones went to school for hotel and restaurant management, he decided he wanted to learn more about the culinary field. He attended Zane State College in Zanesville, where he earned a degree in culinary arts in May. Instructor chef Marco Adornetto coached him all the way, he said.

“He’s really been a big help and an inspiration to me.”

If you go

What: Grandmom Minnie’s Munchies

When: The restaurant will open Thursday with special hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Normal hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Where: 1146 Walnut St., Coshocton

FYI: For more information, call 740-291-2852. Special orders for whole desserts or large quantities must be made a week in advance.