Two Chicks Eatin’: Hankerin’ for Hank’s Corner

By Sarah Cordell and Morgan Jennings
Staff Writers

Hello chickadees (the newest name for our fandom)!  To start off the semester, allow us to reintroduce ourselves. We are Sarah Cordell and Morgan Jennings— Sewanee seniors, connoisseurs of southern cuisine, and big fans of giving our two cents. Each issue, we will provide a food review, a Clurg hack, and feature an upcoming event on campus. 

To set the scene: It is a very cold, very rainy night. You are a second semester senior having just survived the first week of classes and all you want is to be well fed and taken care of. Cue Hank’s Corner in Tracy City, TN, about 20 minutes from campus. We were greeted as soon as we walked in the door and really hit it off with our waitress. 

Both Chicks chose bacon cheeseburgers, which came with 6 oz of Hereford beef on a toasted bun. Sarah got cheddar cheese and Morgan chose swiss. These burgers tasted fresh and came with as few or as many toppings as one desired. If you’re like us, you appreciate the finer things in life, like crisp onion slices and fresh pickle chips, and that’s just what we got at Hank’s. For sides, Morgan chose the classic house cut fries that were delicately seasoned with a zesty salt seasoning while Sarah’s interest was peaked at the “black and tan” onion rings (which did not mean done and well done). They looked like zebra stripes and came perfectly crisp. To make things better, “Hank” himself brought us our burgers. 

We were fully satisfied after our meals, until we were approached with the option for dessert. The waitress’s family owns a small business, “Wick’s Pies” in Winchester, IN. She had brought some down and we had the opportunity to imbibe. Upon the anticipation of pie, Sarah took one Lactaid®  just in case. A cheeseburger should’ve been safe, but one never knows what dairy could be lurking in dessert.

Morgan selected the sugar cream pie, that could be described as a cross between a buttermilk pie and cheesecake, with a thin layer of caramelized sugar on top. Sarah chose peanut butter pie which tasted similar to fudge but had a smooth texture. Those family recipes did not disappoint!

Husband-and-wife team Mr. and Mrs. Hankins check in with every guest to ensure they are enjoying themselves and their meal was up to standard. Customer service at its finest!  Above all, the star of the night was our waitress, Sophia. She humored our antics, made great food recommendations, including the “best steak” she’s ever had. Hank’s has Friday steak nights with locally sourced steaks, and we hope to revisit and try them out. And we know you will, so when you do, tell them we sent you!

This week’s Clurg hack comes from sophomore Audrey Hand (C’22). She gives us her recipe that’s sure to turn any homemade ice cream sandwich into a deluxe dessert. Audrey says to get two chocolate chip cookies, spread peanut butter on both sides, and add a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream onto one of the cookies. Lastly, carefully assemble sandwich and roll the edges in either peanuts (found by the Sea-to-Table line) or roll the edges in cereal. “Cinnamon toast crunch is gas!” Audrey tells us. 

To suggest Clurg hacks or future reviews, send suggestions to cordesc0@sewanee.edu and jennimh0@sewanee.edu or follow us on Instagram @twochickseatin. And remember, “Eatin’ speaks louder than words!”