Banana pudding has not been Jenae Holder’s specialty for very long, but practice has made perfect when it comes to her business.
Auntie Bam’s Nana Puddin has origins as layered as some of its dishes. While Holder has always enjoyed cooking for her family, after she got married preparing food presented a challenge when her husband told her that his favorite dessert was banana pudding.
“I went through it a lot of times trying to get that stamp of approval,” said Holder. “Finally he said, “That’s it. That’s it.’ and I saw how happy it made him.”
Discovering the right recipe for what would be called the “classic puddin’” led to tastings from family and friends. The praise for the pudding began to accrue, and the business opportunity presented itself.
Now, she makes all kinds of variations on the theme of banana pudding.
“Honestly, I have to give God all the credit,” said Holder. “Because I couldn’t make myself even think of it. God showed me, ‘Hey, just try to put this out there.’”
Holder spoke with her husband about the details and logistics and realized that many merchants conduct business entirely online. All that was needed was a name. Holder got the nickname “Bam” from her niece. As a response to the little one’s occasional rambunctiousness, Holder would call her niece “Bam Bam,” from the Flintstones cartoon; her niece then came to call her “Auntie Bam Bam.”
[adrotate banner=”51″]
Auntie Bam’s Nana Puddin, LLC launched in March, offering online orders and deliveries, primarily via social media. Its three most popular banana puddings, Holder says, have turned out to be the classic banana pudding; the classic red moon, which is infused with either cherry or strawberry filling; and the “coco kisses,” which, alongside vanilla wafers and organic bananas, is filled with chocolate chips and Oreo cookies.
While Holder says she prays for a brick-and-mortar location soon, the response to the online service has been extremely positive, with word of mouth proving a significant source of customers for the Augusta-based confectionary.
“Vocal support has been crazy amazing,” said Holder. “It’s just such a blessing; so supportive, so kind. They just spread it themselves.”
Holder attributes both the success of the shop and her joy in it to her faith and says that Auntie Bam’s is a means of expressing both.
“We’re just trying to show love and spread love,” said Holder. “We didn’t want it just to be eat your food and then you’re done. We just want it to be an exchange of care and love.”
Auntie Bam’s social media pages display the biblical verse 1 Corinthians 10:31. Holder says the significance of the verse is in how it reflects her aim in sharing the love of Christ.
“I was trying to find scripture to somehow relate the food to the business,” she said. “ ‘Whether you eat, or drink or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.’ So I was like, this matches perfectly.”
To learn more about Auntie Bam’s and how to order, visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/auntiebamsnanapuddin/
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering Columbia County with The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
