Elizabeth Cotner/Collegian
Theresa Martin and Josy Sherman stand in fron of the Coneys and
Swirls eatery.
The soothing smell of freshly baked apple pie wafts through the air. A pot of hearty chicken soup simmers on a warm stove. A tray of plump, gooey brownies tempts hungry passers-by. No, it’s not your mother’s kitchen or a home-style restaurant. Housemother Theresa Martin is cooking in McIntyre Residence.
Martin has had a passion for cooking and baking since her Polish-Russian grandmother taught her the tricks of the trade as an 8-year-old.
“I enjoy cooking because it is comforting and relaxing,” Martin said. “Whenever I get stressed out, I go to my kitchen and cook something.”
Martin often spends her lunch hour making meals at Coneys and Swirls restaurant in downtown Hillsdale. She is friends with the owner, Tim Sherman. Martin began cooking there to help Sherman’s daughter Jody, who runs the restaurant.
Martin makes soups from scratch, grilled sandwiches, sloppy joes, sliders, baked goods, ice cream sundaes and other items off of the restaurant’s diverse menu.
“She cooks really great, fresh food and has helped me a lot,” Jody Sherman said. “There are times when we have standing-room only during lunch, although most people order carry-out meals.”
Martin frequently spoils the women living in McIntyre with her homemade concoctions. She recently baked seven cakes for a Halloween party held for residents of the dorm.
She also makes homemade soup for ill students, freezing the leftovers in case of an emergency.
“Canned soup just doesn’t cut it,” Martin said. “I always take care of my girls.”
Sophomore Javonne Padgett has lived in McIntyre for three semesters and is appreciative of Martin’s cooking.
“When I was sick last semester, mom Martin made me vegetable soup,” Padgett said. “It was tasty, hearty and had a healing quality. It’s honestly the best I’ve ever eaten.”
Like that of many experienced chefs, Martin’s cooking has a creative side. She bakes 18 different flavors of cheesecake, including pumpkin, peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and amaretto.
In the past, Coneys and Swirls closed for the winter. This year Martin encouraged Jody keep the restaurant open year-round.
“I really enjoy cooking here,” Martin said. “Most students don’t realize that lots of housemothers have hidden talents. Each one of us has something unique that we do besides being a house mom.”
Coneys and Swirls is located on 44 E Howell Street in downtown Hillsdale, diagonal from The Gathering. It is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The restaurant offers a 15 percent discount for college students who present their student ID cards.