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CLASSIC PECAN PIE

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

I’d always thought that pecan pie predated “the late unpleasantness,” as Southerners used to call the Civil War, or perhaps even belonged to Colonial Days. But in researching my American Century Cookbook (1997), I discovered to my great surprise that it became popular only in the twentieth century. Even John Egerton, a southern culinary historian and author whom I respect, says that he’s found “no recipes or other bits of evidence to prove” that pecan pie existed long ago. Another food historian, Meryle Evans, believes that pecan pie dates only as far back as 1925 and that it was created by Karo home economists to “push product.” The majority of pecan pies do contain corn syrup—either light or dark. I prefer the former. I also prefer this recipe given to me by a friendly neighbor who loved to teach “the little Yankee girl,” as she called me, all about southern food. I was an eager pupil.

11/3 cups perfect pecan halves

One 9-inch baked pie shell (see About Pie Crusts, frontmatter)

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons lightly browned melted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Arrange the pecans in concentric circles in the bottom of the pie shell and set aside.

2. Blend all remaining ingredients together until smooth and carefully ladle into the pie shell, trying not to dislodge the pecans. They will float to the top as the pie bakes.

3. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet and bake on the middle oven shelf for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

4. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, then cut into slim wedges. Serve as is or top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream—“to cut the richness,” Southerners say.

ALABAMA PEANUT PIE

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Although George Washington Carver (see box, Chapter 6) is credited with creating peanut butter, the peanut butter cookie, and numerous other peanut desserts, this particular pie may or may not be his. It’s something I adapted from an anonymous recipe in an old southern community cookbook.

1 cup blanched, shelled raw peanuts

1 cup sorghum molasses or dark corn syrup

½ cup sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

One 9-inch unbaked pie shell (see About Pie Crusts, frontmatter)

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.

2. Spread the peanuts in an ungreased baking pan and roast slowly until golden; this will take 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and raise the temperature to 350° F.

3. Cool the peanuts, then grind very fine (a food processor does this in about 30 seconds). Empty the nuts into a large mixing bowl, add the molasses, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg, and beat hard until smooth and creamy.

4. Pour the filling into the pie shell and slide onto a baking sheet. Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 50 minutes or until puffed, nicely browned, and a cake tester inserted halfway between the edge and the center comes out clean.

5. Cool the pie to room temperature before cutting. Make the pieces small; this pie is very rich. Serve as is or top with whipped cream or, if you prefer, with scoops of vanilla or dulce de leche ice cream.

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Heirloom Recipe

MRS. LEE’S CAKE

Here, just as it appears in The Robert E. Lee Family Cooking and Housekeeping Book written by Lee’s great-granddaughter Anne Carter Zimmer (1997), is the original Robert E. Lee Cake. Here it is titled simply “Mrs. Lee’s Cake.”

Twelve eggs, their full weight in sugar, a half weight in flour. Bake it in pans the thickness of jelly cakes. Take two pounds of nice “A” sugar, squeeze into it the juice of 5 oranges and three lemons together with the pulp. Stir in the sugar until perfectly smooth, then spread it over the cakes as