Nestled along sleepy Grolee Street in the Zydeco Capital of the World lies a not-so-hidden gem. Yam Country Pies is an unassuming bakery that is a popular stop for homemade traditional and folded pies. The holiday season is its busiest time of the year.
During the Thanksgiving season alone, the family-owned business bakes thousands of pies. People line up in the bakery’s now socially-distanced, outdoor line for a taste of the Hertzock family’s prized pies. With soft and sweet pie crusts that fit into your hand, lightly spiced with flavor and fillings that make your mouth water, it is no wonder why people keep coming back for more.
The all-time favorite flavor of local pie enthusiasts is definitely sweet potato. Sweet potatoes were one of the historically important crops of St. Landry Parish, alongside sugar cane and cotton. There was even an entire festival surrounding the starchy spud. The Opelousas Yambilee festival was created in 1946 and celebrated the sweet potato with parades and music. It remained a beloved tradition in the parish until 2012. We now know the title of yam to be a misnomer for the iconic sweet potato. But the name does remind one of a time when everyone was crazy for this classic food. It is only natural that a bakery that upholds tradition would adopt the name as well.
Despite its name, Yam Country Pies has a diverse range of flavors, including lemon, apple, custard, and peach. You can even request specialty flavors, like blackberry and fig, two more traditional flavors of St. Landry Parish. Another fan favorite is their sweet dough tea cakes. These soft, cookie-like biscuits are melt-in-your-mouth tasty and go perfect with an afternoon coffee.
The Hertzock family treats the public with recipes that have been around for over 50 years. What started in the cafeteria of the Holy Ghost Catholic Church is now a family-run operation that you can order from online. Patricia, the family matriarch, and her children, Lucretia and Conrad, take care of the business and the baking. This exemplary family also includes Darla Montgomery, who has been a familiar figure on TV in Acadiana since 1992. You can catch her on KLFY TV 10 where she anchors the 5pm, 6pm, and 10pm newscasts.
In hard times, the success of one local bakery can become the heartwarming boost that lets us know everything is going to be okay. Plus, the pies are very tasty.
Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.
