2009_04_15-sisterschubert.jpgWe are going to try to keep our cool here. But the sight of that plastic-wrapped aluminum tin of yeast rolls to the left just about sends us over the edge. We can't buy them in New York (although we have—more than once—carried them, frozen, on a plane from Tennessee).

Sister Schubert's rolls have cult status in the Deep South. Every Southerner we know had a grandmother who made these rolls from scratch, pinched over like two swollen lips, covered in butter, browned on top. And yet every Southerner we know has abandoned all homemade efforts in favor of Sister Schubert's. Which is why we loved this article from The New York Times by one of our favorite food writers (and fellow Southerner) John T. Edge. It's everything we always wanted to know about Sister but were afraid to ask...

To be fair, the article also prominently addresses Marshall's biscuits, which, like Sister Schubert's rolls, have their roots in Alabama. Interestingly, both brands are now made by the same company, which is based in Ohio. (We're considering sending Faith on a fact-finding mission.)

The article also makes an important distinction. These rolls and biscuits are nothing like the sticky, exploding dough that pulses out of the Pillsbury cans. These taste homemade. These are pre-baked, just until barely done but not brown. These are good enough to serve at Thanksgiving.

And yet as Sister Schubert's has become a bigger and bigger phenomenon, we've never heard much about who started the company—until now.

• Read the article: But Surely They're Homemade? from The New York Times.

• Visit the Sister Schubert's website.

We eat Sister Schubert's rolls warm, with butter, any chance we get, and they are divine when stuffed with a little ham or pork tenderloin. They aren't as good leftover, in our opinion, so clean your plate.

Who else is a Sister Schubert's fan?

Related: Recipe: Potato Dough Rolls

(Image: Sister Schubert's)