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Fairfield Recorder - Tuesday March 14, 2006 edition

"Fairfield Loses Icon
Doris Daniel's Coconut Pie
by Ed Pittman

We were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Doris Daniel of Fairfield.
Below is a "Past Times" article written by a former classmate that was first
published in the "Times" on June 1, 2004.  Mrs. Daniel will be sorely missed in
Freestone county.  (See Page 8-B for obituary).

Most people in Fairfield and Freestone County know bits and pieces about SAM'S
BARBECUE.  We older folks remember that it got started off in a low rent
building with a sawdust floor located a couple of blocks south of the
intersection of highways 84 and 75.  We remember that it was an introduction to
many diners of genuine barbecued brisket, to both locals and travelers as well.
And some remember that for a short while Sammie Daniel and his family gave it
up, only to re-introduce the place as Sam's Original a short distance up the
road, this time with a solid floor.  Later Sam followed the flow of traffic and
set up shop on the west side of I-45 and from there it was truly discovered by
the traveling public as the place to stop between Dallas and Houston.  All this
was before Ponte and the family opened the present site east of I-45, which
caters to travelers and locals all day, seven days a week.  Mention to someone
in Dallas or Houston that you are from Fairfield and likely they will want to
talk about SAM'S.

But, to quote a famous commentator, now for the rest of the story.

Sammie was a professional restaurant man before he introduced barbecue, and he
had a flair for pleasing the customers.  His young bride, Doris Childs Daniel,
as a young girl, had picked up the family receipes handed down by her mother,
Willie Mae Weaver Childs, and her grandmother, Mrs. Noah Weaver.  Sam saw the
light in the coconut pie with the extra meringue that Doris could turn out,
consistently good and consistently popular.  He introduced the pie as a
finishing touch to a good meal. In no time at all he found himself competing
with Doris as to which was the big attraction, his barbecue or her coconut pie.
After over fourty years, the contest is still ongoing.  

The menu at Sam's has been expanded over the years to satisfy all types of
pallets, from robust to calorie counting, but most knowledgeable customers save
a little space for a piece of that coconut pie Sam's turns out so well.  Most
people don't know that for a long time, Doris, Sam's wife and now widow, made
the pies herself.  She is now the occasional supervisor, just to check that it
is still done right.  After all, a family recipe's quality must be maintained.

Doris grew up a short distance from Fairfield, attended Fairfield schools and
graduated, Class of 1942.  One of her many accomplishments is serving as
hostess of the annual homecomings of this Class of '42, which with one
exception due to a funeral has met each year since 1984.

If you haven't tried the coconut pie at Sam's, you owe yourself a try-on.

DORIS CHILDS DANIEL, 81, of Fairfield, passed away Thursday, March 9, 2006.  A
1942 Graduate of Fairfield High School, Doris was known for her mile-high
meringue pies.