Microwave scorers can take over games but are often tough to rely on. Jabari Smith Jr. valued consistency instead, which, perhaps, led him to the oven. Ten-year-old Jabari loved basketball and football, but for a time, struck by curiosity and boredom, he made his name in the kitchen. His mother had a friend who owned a bakery, and Jabari would dial her in search of recipes. He’d take stock of the kitchen, then call Mom during the week with requests. We need more sugar. Please leave my eggs out. And every Friday, upon returning to his home in Fayetteville, Ga., he got to work, following instructions, each step pivotal to his goal.
Nobody was quite sure what had drawn Jabari to baking. His mother’s best hypothesis centered on her electric mixer and the amusement of its whirring. Maybe the fun was in the process. Though it wasn’t all perfect, Jabari was willing to take liberties. There were failed experiments with food coloring, a blue cake here and purple icing there. He remained meticulous when it counted, and the proof was in the results. With an eight-inch round pan as his canvas, Jabari began churning out three-layer cakes from scratch, by all accounts delectable and, most frequently, strawberry-flavored.
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