Madeline Ver Planck was “Martha” decades before Martha Stewart. Ver Planck, who adopted Martha Dixon as her TV persona, served as host at WJIM TV’s morning show “Copper Kettle” and was a groundbreaking television executive and local entrepreneur. Five days a week in the morning slot, Martha would provide cooking tips and host local and touring guests on her show. During her tenure from 1954 to 1973, Martha Dixon also published two cookbooks and compiled a weekly newsletter of cooking tips and recipes. Later in her career she became co-owner of the Grande Gourmet, a kitchen supply, cooking store, and French Restaurant in Frandor. She also put her hand into the opening of the Pear and Partridge, a high-end restaurant at the Capital City Airport.

Nearly 70 years later locals are still making Martha Dixon’s “Clap Your Hands Chocolate Chip Cookies.” Her cookbook listed 23 pages of cookie recipes. A book reviewer said her cookbook is like “visiting with a warm friend who loves cooking.” Dixon’s mother was Etta A. Zhedeker, probably Etta A. Snedeker likely altered form under American Dutch influence in New Netherlands of North German Schnitker or Schnittker ‘joiner woodcarver’ or perhaps of its Danish cognate Snedker ‘carpenter.’