The Inter-Mountain photos by Shannon Bennett Campbell JoAnn DeMotto Yeager and Corina Ann (Pongie) Belan stay busy at the Davis & Elkins College Gym, where at a recent Art and Craft Show they occupied 12 tables, from one wall of the gym to the other, all filled with chocolate candies, filled eggs, cookies and cakes.

A very special time was spent with two native Coalton ladies who agreed to share their story of learning to cook and prepare foods at a very young age. Each has become among the best-known dessert-and-bread makers in this Randolph County, if not our state, and their story is one for the record books. 

Enjoy getting to know Corina Ann (Pongie) Belan and JoAnn DeMotto Yeager, both delightfully skilled and filled with West Virginia warmth, wit and wisdom.

If anyone were to say “Cooking is a Science,” I am sure these ladies would agree, for they mentioned several times during my interview with them how important “process” is in developing just the right combination of factors to produce top-quality tasting items.

Guided by their mother, who made her own family bread every Monday and Friday, it would probably be a critical factor in their preparation to be outstanding makers of various candies, cakes and pies that they had become 4-H-ers as youngsters and took the cooking classes necessary to support a lifetime of furnishing exquisitely produced breads and desserts.

A critical factor as their story unfolded appeared to be the time they were willing to spend preparing sweet and healthy items to share with others who, for whatever reason, do not have time or want to take time to furnish these rich and delicious items for themselves.

Many hours are required to use step-by-step processes to ensure a quality result once cooling takes place and the food is readied for wrappers and selling-stand delivery. Those who frequent their product stands will tell you that as soon as something is bought it is usually directed straight into mouths that have probably craved the item since the last week they purchased the product.

Corina has anchored a staple Elkins Farmers Market stand for several years. As I shared with her, my early-morning attendance at the weekly affair is a glance at her usual spot to see whether she is set-up for sales. I always go there first before any of my favorite items are sold-out. Her following of sweet-toothed carnivores all know of what I am speaking. When people purchase items from her, they all deal in quantities. That’s plural and it is a usual matter that she sells out well before noon’s closing.

 My discussion with these ladies revealed some interesting history about their trade. It was discovered that their first sales took place at The Hitchin’ Post, near the turn-off to Coalton from our corridor, almost 40 years ago.

JoAnn explained, “We were concerned that we would not sell all the candies and Easter eggs we had made, only to discover at the end of the day, there was nothing left.”

Year to year, their special Easter eggs are spoken for and it is fairly ordinary that they prepare 400 decorated eggs for the collection of buyers they have amassed through the years. They explained that they have about reached “critical mass” and they do not believe they can produce any additional orders. Being the kind and wonderful people that they are, they very much regret their current predicament. But, after all, they are not assembly-line material.

During our discussion, they also credited home economics teacher L.B. Johnson for increasing their knowledge and know-how while being her Coalton High School students. When one understands how important this individual was in the formation of their skills, we can only wonder why more significance is not given to home economics today.

One of the special occasions about which they spoke culminated only a few weeks ago at the Davis & Elkins College Gym, where an Art and Craft Show was featured. These ladies had twelve tables, from one wall of the gym to the other, all filled with chocolate candies, filled eggs, cookies, cakes — and they said it would be their last big event.

Their reputation stands high, and even as they think about total retirement, I am sure they will be asked for a few chocolate morsels down the road. Proud people often like to tell their friends they got to tour a famous building or see a once-in-a-lifetime spot. Many of their patrons would tell you that these ladies are deserving of a high rating and are certainly national treasures.

Valentines Day is always a special event and full of chocolate hearts. Let’s not forget this year to celebrate these two ladies who have for many years given their time and talent to bring us tasting enjoyment. Or, as is the case in the 4-H World, they each deserve a big “How-How.”

Corina Ann (Pongie) Belan, left, is well-known for setting up her stand at the Elkins Farmers Market.

JoAnn DeMotto Yeager and Corina Ann (Pongie) Belan are a pair of very famous and beloved sisters.