Shoofly Pie - Week 46

Every pie has a story, and the Shoofly is no exception.

It even shares a song with Apple Pan Dowdy, you can check out Dinah Shore crooning "Shoo-Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy" on YouTube (it actually has a catchy tune and a popular favorite from the 40s).

Legend has it that when the Amish settled in the Pennsylvania area in the 1700s, they made this pie out of the non-perishable staples that they were able to bring with them on the long boat ride. They baked this pie in outdoor ovens, and while it was cooling the flies were attracted to the sticky sweet molasses that was on the tops of these pies. Thus, the name "shoofly pie"

Pie itself has a very interesting history, and I've done my research and want to share it with you:

The first pie-like creations appeared in ancient Egypt with the Romans making pies in "reeds" that were used to hold the filling and not actually eaten. 

 Later on in the 12th Century, the first savory meat pies were actually referred to as "coffyns", where the pastry was straight-sided with sealed lids and bottoms. The crusts were actually inedible and was actually used as the baking dish and possible construction could have been several inches thick to withstand hours of baking.

Pies were extremely useful in cooking meats because the juices were contained rather than dripping away and drying up compared to other cooking methods.  Another feature of the pie that helped its popularity that it was its portability making it possible to cooking it ahead of time for later later consumption.

Colonists began making pies in America from the apples growing from their new trees that they had brought from England. Eventually, during the American Revolution the term "crust" was used and the popularity of pie in America as we know it today has continued.

Back to the featured pie... shoofly. It is pretty comparable to a coffee cake. If you want coffee cake, I recommend this tasty cinnabun cake (unfortunately, it contains a few sticks of butter, but it is well worth breaking your diet). 

The pie was kind of dry, but I can appreciate the history of the recipe being passed from generation to generation. It just isn't well-suited for this Kansas family.





Ingredients:
1 bottom pastry shell
1 cup molasses
¾ cup hot water
¾ t. baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 cup flour
1 cups brown sugar
½ t. salt
¼ cup shortening








Directions:
For the bottom: 
Combine molasses, hot water, and baking soda. Stir well. Whisk in beaten egg. Pour mixture into pie shell.

For crumb topping: 
Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well, and cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of molasses layer. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

I could put this pie in an acquired taste category of its own. It wasn't terrible, but I just can't see myself ever trying it again. But, I can appreciate the historical significance it must have for certain people.

Do you have a family favorite that has been passed from

generation to generation that would be considered an acquired taste? 

Vinegar Pie - Week 5

"When the cares o' day are done, on the plains o' Kansas, 

And the kids begin to yawn, sleepy like in Kansas, 

Farmer wipes his glasses blurred, 

Reads a chapter o' the Word, 

Then kneels down and thanks the Lord that he lives in Kansas.

 -LITTLE RIVER MONITOR, November 1, 1906

As the years go by, I love the state of Kansas more and more. We have some great people living here, communities to grow a family, and many opportunities available.

I remember every year while I was a student, we would celebrate Kansas Day on January 29th by learning history, making crafts, and learning the statistics of our state. I enjoyed it when someone would bring their family's heirlooms and share stories of hard work but a simpler time. 

As a girl, I read the Little House on the Prairie book series, and enjoyed every little bit.  Laura Ingalls Wilder's family would have been in Kansas in 1869-1870 when the state was just a few years old.  I remember that food and meals were a large part of the stories that were told. When I found the book that featured frontier foods from the book series, I was excited to find some pie recipes.  I chose a vinegar pie to fix because I can just imagine that at the end of January their supplies were starting to dwindle and that this would have been a real treat for the typical family in the pre-1900's Kansas family.  

The vinegar pie was used as substitute for a lemon pie, and sometimes referred to as the "Poor Man's Pie" because lemons were considered a luxury for people on the prairie.  

When Daniel saw me put this pie on the Pie Board, he begged me not to make it. However, he warmed up to the idea and by the time I made it, he was ready to try it with an open mind.  We decided that it is actually very good. The first taste does taste vinegary, but with the second taste it starts to grow on you, but then after the third bite, you start to taste the apples. While you are finishing up the slice, you can just imagine that you are eating a pie that is made from fresh fruit. It is an experience that everyone should experience and encourage you to try it out! It is definitely an economical way to enjoy a slice of pie with a fruity taste without using actual fruit.

Ingredients:

1 Pastry Pie Crust

1/4 cup Butter

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose Flour

1/2 t. Nutmeg

3 T. Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup water

Directions:

Melt butter. Beat eggs in small bowl. In large bowl blend both sugars, flour, and nutmeg with fingers until no lumps remain. Stir in vinegar, eggs, butter, and water until well mixed. Pour into pie shell and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove and cool until the filling is firm enough for cutting.

You may be able to tell that I didn't get the eggs mixed the best; so I did have some spots in the pie that looked egg-y, but I don't feel that it affected the taste.  I had also found some recipes that called for a teaspoon of lemon extract, and that would be good too. (edit: You may blind bake the crust if you want to ensure a crisp crust)

I also found another series of books entitled the Butter in the Well at the public library featuring stories of a Swedish immigrant to the Assaria written by Linda Hubalek.  She also had a book, Egg Gravy, that featured recipes from the same time period. One of the pie recipes, "Oh-So-Good Pie", is basically a variant of the vinegar pie with an addition of 1 cup of raisins.  One of the facts that Linda points out, recipes from this era are typically non-existent because they were in the cook's head, or the instructions too vague that the recipes don't turn out with our modern equipment.

The Piesearch

With every good challenge there must be some research that must be done to achieve success.

I've gleaned pinterest and the internet for all pie possibilities, and studied up on all pie methods through recipe books from yesteryear. And to make sure that I pay tribute to the original piemakers in my life, I brought out the recipe boxes and cookbooks that contain all recipes from family members.  

One of the more interesting cookbooks I have found is "Cooking For Young Homemakers, An Edition of Encyclopedic Cookbook" printed in 1964, but was originally printed in 1948. The pie section alone boasts 300 Superb Pies and Pastries. It contains many images that assist in perfecting your pie abilities. 










The book describes good pastry as "flaky, tender, delicate and evenly browned. It is not crumbly, but when broken, shows layers of flat flakes, piled above the other with air spaces between."  The book also states "To achieve this result the cook must be quick and "light-handed, since pastry cannot be good if handled roughly or slowly."

I have taken note of several different methods, pie crusts and an extensive variety of pies and plan on sharing my findings in the coming year 2014. Believe me there are many more methods, types, and selection than I could have ever imagined, but I will put my best effort forth in giving you a great selection of pie! I have nearly 100 recipes that I have picked out to share, ranging from sweet to savory to pie-spired, I am confident that there will be something to satisfy nearly everyone's taste for pie!