MY FAVORITE RECIPES - Meet Sheri Grisham, St. John

Jana Mathia | Feb 11, 20100

Sheri Grisham has always wanted to run a café and now, as owner of the St. John Inn Café, she is getting that chance although it is her first time doing anything like it.

“I’ve always just liked to cook,” said Sheri.

When Sheri left her hometown of Lewiston and moved to Alaska, she left behind the family she had grown up with. During her 26 years in Alaska, she created her own extended family during holidays by inviting over others who didn’t have anywhere to go. Those open-arm holidays could draw 30 to 40 people, and Sheri cooked for them all.

Sheri moved to St. John with her granddaughter Alyssa in December of 2006. Her sister already lived in town and was related to the café’s former owner.

When Sheri took over the café, she reverted to the old name, St. John Inn Café.

“There’s a huge learning curve when you take on something you’ve never done before,” Sheri noted. She hasn’t had any big mishaps or disasters and things are easier now that she has gotten into a routine.

Sheri’s day starts at 5 a.m. and doesn’t end until 8 p.m. That doesn’t leave much personal time, but that never gets her down.

“You have to have the heart to do it,” she said.

Life at the café is mostly a one-woman show. Sheri’s sister Gloria helps through lunch and Alyssa works after school when she’s not cheerleading. But for the rest of the day from the first pot of breakfast coffee to the last dirty dinner dish, it’s all Sheri.

Running a café has always been a dream for her and she is happy to have found fulfillment of that dream in St. John.

“I just love this town,” she said. “I love the people.”

The people are her favorite part of the whole thing as she enjoys serving them.

Sheri said the community of St. John has been very supportive as she has taken over the café. The café draws people not only for Sheri’s home-style cooking, but it is also a “gathering place” for card parties, birthdays and the daily tales.

The café serves breakfast, lunch and early dinner five and a half days a week. Sheri takes Sunday afternoons and Mondays off, mostly to do her shopping for the café. With the limit of things that are shipped into St. John, she goes to Spokane once a week for things for the café. By shopping for items like fresh produce, Sheri can serve better meals at the café. She receives a lot of compliments on her salads.

“I like the hands-on picking,” she said.

Sheri’s favorite thing for her and Alyssa to do on her Mondays out is to try out different restaurants.

Sheri also uses that time to visit her mother who still lives in Lewiston. She still has several family members in the Lewiston-Clarkston area, including brothers and an uncle. Two of her children still live in Alaska and the third lives in Georgia. She has eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Even with as busy as Sheri is with the café, she still tries to get down to watch Alyssa cheer at St. John home games. Sheri said she normally gets to watch only the boys varsity by the time she cleans up at the cafe. The cafe décor has progressively changed to more of a country kitchen theme. She does a few special dinner items and adds a few things. Her bread pudding has probably been the favorite addition.

Running a café in a small town is a self-sacrificing occupation, but Sheri doesn’t usually think of it that way. It’s just what she likes to do.

Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef

1 cup bread crumbs

1 14 oz can Italian stewed tomatos

2 eggs

1 small onion (chopped)

1 t. granulated garlic

1 t. granulated onion

1 t. salt

1 t. pepper

Mix all ingredients place in loaf pan and bake for approx 60 minutes testing center for doneness.

Cream of Broccoli

5 cups broccoli chopped

20 oz chicken broth

5 tbsp butter

4 tbsp flour

2 cups light cream

1-2 cups shredded cheddar

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chopped broccoli (save a 1/2 cup for garnish) in chicken broth until tender, blend until smooth. Melt butter, stir in flour, add to broccoli mixture, stir until blended and cook until begins to thickens slightly approx. 10 minutes. It is ready to serve

Bread Pudding

8 cups cubed dry bread

9 eggs (whisked)

2 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (melted)

3 t. vanilla extract

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

Place bread in 13X9 baking pan, mix remaining ingredients and pour over bread. Bake until knife comes out clean about 40-45 minutes

Carmel Sauce

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Bring sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil, reduce heat to medium: cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture turns a golden amber color. Stir in butter until melted. Add cream. Remove from the heat. Serve over bread pudding.