On this particular day, the three of us friends spent all afternoon laughing, relaxing and sitting outside in the sun. Sharon even has a once-injured-but-now-healed great blue heron, who's practically a pet at this point and shows up every afternoon for the hot dogs she buys just for him. In front, facing the water, the grounds are a bird's paradise with lots of greenery and flowering plants in tidy beds. Once inside, you have uninterrupted views of the bay from every room in the house. Big, bushy, white George Taber azaleas, as well as old, long-established hydrangea bushes, help create cozy spots for hammocks and chairs. Lady Banks roses grow up the main staircase and all along the walkway that traverses back to the main entry door.
The house itself has deep, inviting porches, beautiful pine columns and gorgeous brickwork. Once there, you're immediately charmed by the peaceful beauty of the grounds. The loveliness of Sharon's place begins as soon as you turn off the main road onto the long driveway that winds through to her house. Everything is homemade, there are always fresh-cut flowers (most of which come from Sharon's own yard) and her home is immaculate without feeling unlived-in or sterile. Yes, you read that correctly: polished silver. Without an air of pretension, her table is set with polished silver. The quintessential Southern hostess is Sharon, who is truly the last of her kind. RELATED: This sweet and tart lemon cake is the easiest bake you'll ever make She creates a casual elegance and ease of being so effortless - which makes her guests feel right at home, yet utterly spoiled. It's quite a lovely spot, and Sharon is lovelier still, both inside and out. Sharon lives on Perdido Bay, which isn't far from my place.
She opened a cold, crisp bottle of white wine - and the aroma of this beautiful cake met us when we walked into her kitchen. Sharon had prepared a scrumptious seasonal meal of steamed shrimp, fresh sugar snaps and the thinnest asparagus I'd ever seen. The rainstorm from the wee hours of the morning had cleared the way for what was to be an absolutely idyllic spring afternoon with blue sky and sunshine as far as the eye could see. This cake transports me back to one of my most perfect memories - the day Sharon hosted a birthday party for our friend, Dawn. Smells and tastes instantly take me back in time to specific people, places and moments in my life. While Sharon has shared many of her recipes with me over the years, this cake was one of the very first. This classic dessert is typically baked as an iced layer cake, but I make a bundt version, thanks to Sharon, my friend who introduced me to it at an unforgettable luncheon on the bay. In fact, I never even had a slice until about 10 years ago. Though it's beloved in the South, hummingbird cake wasn't something I grew up eating.
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