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ADDIE’S SWEET SECRETS:

DIVINELY INSPIRED TRIBUTE


TO THE SACRED YAM
BY AL MCFARLANE AND B.P. FORD, THE EDITORS

IT’S THE KIND OF COLLABORATION THAT FORMS THE BEDROCK OF BUSINESS SUCCESS.
Entrepreneurs James and Alice Baker, owners of Elite Catering and its retail restaurant subsidiary, Sunnyside
Café on Glenwood Avenue in North Minneapolis, determined that their businesses had excess capacity.
They had down time for their commercial kitchens which served the restaurant and the catering operations.

ill Fridge, a native of Chicago, potato muffin went over so well, we decided to have some fun

B IL, started his career in law


enforcement and corporate
security as a police officer for five years
with it and add different flavors and fruits to it and make a line
of sweet potato based muffins. Each one has a unique flavor
and they are all as healthy as the original. Along the way we
in Gary, IN. He left that job, moved to took a detour and picked up a lime, a key lime, to be exact, and
Minneapolis, and became Director of made a pie with a hand-made graham cracker crust.”
Safety and Security for Prudential As a boy, Fridge was like most children. He sat in the kitchen
Financial, here in Twin Cities. His wife with his mother as she baked. He waited for her to let him lick
and partner in life is Dolores Fridge, the remaining batter from the mixing bowl. Fridge’s mother, like
former Minnesota State Human Rights Commissioner, and her mother before her, baked her pies using a coffee cup instead
former Associate Vice Chancellor at Minnesota State Colleges of a measuring cup, adding ingredients by memory and taste.
and Universities (MNSCU).

But from his days as a young man, Bill Fridge harbored a


vision of bringing to market a food product that he
believed was divinely inspired. Described as
authentic and “down home” dessert, Fridge
says his work pays tribute to the “sacred
yam” - known in America as the
sweet potato.

Modeling the spirit of


collaboration that characterizes
legendary Black business
ingenuity, the Bakers and
the Fridges struck a deal
that provides first class
commercial production
facilities at Elite
Catering for the
creation of Fridge’s
masterwork, Addie’s
Sweet Potato Pie.
“It is simply delicious,”
Fridge said. “We also make a
healthy, tasty sweet potato
muffin. The original Addie’s sweet
Fridge had only a vague idea of ingredients and measurements and the pies and muffins are available at Keith Baker’s Palm
of his mother’s sweet potato pie. His interest as a child was the Court Restaurant, 2424 Central Ave NE, Babalu’s Restaurant,
final product: the exquisitely delicious pie. There was never a 800 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, Market Bar-B-Que,1414
written recipe for this special family treat. When his mother, Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, and 15320 Wayzata Blvd, Wayzata,
father and three siblings died in an auto accident, the then 18- Baker’s Ribs, 8019 Glen Lane, Eden Prairie, MN, and Cuppa
year-old Fridge was more focused on surviving and helping his Java coffee restaurant, 400 Penn Ave. S, in Minneapolis’ Bryn
remaining eight brothers and sisters than preserving family Mawr neighborhood. The muffins are available at Diamonds
recipes and traditions. Coffee Shoppe, 1618 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis.
Fridge says his desserts are huge hits at company and agency
But after many years of combining different ingredients and meetings and events. Bill Davis, director of Minneapolis
spices, Fridge was able to reconstruct his mother’s sweet potato Community Action Agency, and Attorney Jerry Blackwell are
pie. It was first introduced to family and friends during the among regular agency and corporate clients who serve Addie’s
holidays. It then made its first public appearance at David Sweet Secrets products at events and meetings they host. The
Howard’s Fish and Seafood Restaurant in Minneapolis in 1991. delectable desserts can be custom ordered for events, meetings,
The pies made their second appearance at the Bill & Jerry’s banquets and the like by calling 952-974-1232.
Shrimp Boil, an annual Twin Cities charity event.
The Fridge’s say they are fortunate, blessed, to have their
In October of 2004, William Fridge decided to go into business daughter Denise Burnett as vice-president of the company with
full-time, making his mother’s sweet potato pies for the masses. responsibility for business planning and marketing. Burnett
He formed Addie’s Sweet Secrets, L.L.C., naming the company moved back to Minneapolis from New York for two years to
in honor of his mother. The signature and staple of the help convert the Fridge’s dream from a sideline to a full-fledge
company is his Addie’s ‘down-home’ sweet potato pie, as business operation. Burnett, a marketing and computer science
remembered by her son. Addie’s Sweet Secrets pies and muffins professional, earned her degrees at University of Minnesota. She
are available retail at Eastside Coop Grocery Store, 2552 Central lives back in New York but visits frequently and participates in
Avenue, and North Country Coop Grocery Store, 1929 5th the daily businesses of the family business via internet.
Avenue S, in Minneapolis. Addie’s Key Lime pie is on the menu For further information about Addie’s Sweet Secrets, visit the
at Crave Restaurant in the Galleria Shopping Center in Edina company online at www.addiesweetsecrets.com.

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