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WITH CHRIS WITTING
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out that her grandmother had also run a
restaurant, so it’s in her blood.
She credits her grandma (on Dad’s
side) with passing down to her the “best
thing” that is served today at Joppy’s -
the buttermilk apple cake mentioned in
the opening paragraph.
“There have been master chefs who
have tried to steal my recipe,” Catherine
says. “We sell out of it all the time.” The
cake, she says, sits in a buttermilk bath
overnight. She has also developed 10
different chocolate sauces, which she
says are “infused” with alcohol or wine.
She ships these sauces to buyers as far
away as Canada.
By the way, “Joppy” is what she used
to call her grandfather (on Mom’s side)
when she was a baby and just learning
to speak. Her grandfather was a Bedford
County resident and his farm was
always home to her and her siblings and
mother.
Joppy’s deli and bakery are in a
rambling, two-story white house that
was built in 1901. An original fireplace
still graces the “tea room”, formerly a
parlor when the house was a residence.
For many years, it had been the home of
Beulah Witt, a local well-known artist.
The original wood trim, staircase and
hardwood floors also enrich the house’s
charm along with an old fashioned front
porch.
“She raised her children here,”
Catherine explained, “She came in not
long ago and described the house as it
was when she lived here.”
One of the first things Catherine did to
her restaurant was to dress the tables
with cloths and matching napkins.
There are three cozy rooms for dining
on the first floor, and two “over-flow”
rooms upstairs, including one where
meetings are held. Every 3rd Friday
from 8:30 to 10 AM, Joppy’s hosts the
breakfast meeting of TEAM – Together
Everyone Achieves More – a group of
Chamber of Commerce members from
Bedford and Smith Mountain Lake
who meet monthly to network. Joppy’s
furnishes the coffee and each person
attending brings a food item, or they can
“donate” $5 and Joppy’s will provide
muffins. Since relocating to Joppy’s,
the meetings have been opened to the
general public. There is no cost to those
attending.
She also does not charge a commission
for the paintings and pottery sold at
Joppy’s. The restaurant is a stop on the
VirginiaArtisan Trail, and Catherine has
many artist friends. “Barter town Bob
did the dragon fly out front,” she says,
“and the pottery is by Andre Namenak.”
Joppy’s is open 7 days a week: Sunday
through Wednesday from 8 am to 6 pm
and Thursday through Saturday 8 am
to 9 pm. The restaurant is on Route
122 inside the city limits of Bedford.
Catherine still offers full service
catering, including weddings, and will
open the restaurant to parties for teas,
celebratory or business events she is
catering. The phone number 540-587-
8777 is posted outside the restaurant.
Discover Smith Mountain Lake
Fall 2014
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