Muffer’s Kitchen Offers Soul Satisfying Meals

My great-grandma, Mrs. Vera Vail was born, raised and buried in Harrisburg, Arkansas. If ever there were a hard working, tough as nails woman, it was she. Mammy lived to the age of 94 and was famous in and around Arkansas for her fried chicken. She was such a master with a cast iron skillet that she was asked several times to cook for the Robertson family of Duck Dynasty fame and called Miss Kay a friend.

I have such vivid memories of Mammy taking a Greyhound (she refused to fly) to visit us in New York each summer. When Mammy was in town, it meant I was going to get fried chicken, corn bread, gravy and eggs for breakfast and that it was going to taste like heaven.

After my Mammy died, I thought I’d never taste fried chicken as good as hers. I was wrong.

Damien Cornwell and his family had their own legendary grandma and they called her “Muffer.” Like my Mammy, Muffer was famous for her cooking and although she’s no longer with us, Muffer’s legacy lives on through Muffer’s Kitchen. Grandson Damien explains why Muffer’s Kitchen is more than just a southern soulful kitchen.

My family and I visited Muffer's for Binghamton Restaurant Week and from the moment we walked through the door, we knew we were in for something special. If you've ever been to a restaurant anywhere in the south, you know what I mean when I say that everything just feels different. Warm, inviting, friendly, laid back. Muffer's is all of those things and more.

Taking advantage of the special three course Restaurant Week menu, my husband ordered fried vegetables, chicken and waffles, and chocolate cake for dessert.  Literally, as soon as we walked out the door to the car, Jay turned to me and said he wanted more. When he called me from work, he told me he was craving Muffer's chicken and waffles. And then, when I leaned over his sleeping self to give him a kiss before going to work this morning, he opened his eyes and asked if we could go back to Muffer's. I think that it's safe to say a Muffer's addict has been born!

For my meal, I also ordered fried vegetables, but I decided to try the fried chicken and sweet potato pie for dessert. I was trying to act calm when I took my first taste of the fried chicken, but inside, I was exploding with excitement and so many feelings. The crisp, the batter, the flavor- all of it was so similar to my Mammy's friend chicken. I was flooded with many, many memories. And the sweet potato pie! I'm not a big dessert person, but I literally held the plate in my left hand while shoveling it into my mouth with my right hand. I think Muffer's should sell whole pies around the holidays for people to take to family gatherings. I'd be all over that!

I need to tell you what struck me the most about Muffer's though, besides the amazing food and welcoming atmosphere. What really hit me in the heart was that Muffer's keeps their prices low so that people can afford to eat there. Yes, they're a business, but for Muffer's family, it's about keeping her memory alive and about providing a safe, comfortable and affordable place for our community to enjoy a home-cooked and satisfying meal. This is one locally owned family business I will fully support and I hope you will, too. The world needs more love, and Muffer's is definitely doing their part to show it to our community.

Muffer's is located at 62 Glenwood Road in Binghamton and is participating in Binghamton Restaurant Week, which runs through Thursday, October 27th. Muffer's is offering a special three-course meal for both lunch and dinner. See the menus and after you visit, I'd love to know your thoughts!

[via EatBing]