I mentioned my Butter Pie adventure to a coworker, who said, "Is that something like Chess Pie?" I had no idea what she was talking about, so I looked up some Chess Pie recipes (apparently it's a Southern thing).
Guh.
One recipe's ingredients: 3 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 tbsp. of cornmeal, 1 tbsp. of vinegar, 3 3/4 sticks of butter, and a bit of vanilla. Another variation includes a few extra ingredients, omits a few others, has 2 cups of sugar, 4 eggs, and, mercifully, only 1/4 cup butter. Whatever recipe you choose, it looks like you'll either die of a massive butter overdose or a massive sugar overdose. Maybe both.
So, who out there has had Chess Pie before? What did you think of it? Am I being a wimp about the butter and sugar?
I haven't had chess pie, but I echo your "eww." That much butter sounds revolting.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sweet and, yep, it's a Southern thing. If you want to go Southern, shoot for sweet potato pie. It's much better.
ReplyDeleteThere's a really cute story about how chess pie may have gotten its name: A plantation cook who was asked what she was baking that smelled so great answered, "It's jes’ pie." Allegedly, the person who asked misunderstood and thought she said "chess pie". That's just one of many stories, but it's my favorite.
I've never had Chess Pie, but I have to say that it freaks me out a little, too! Much of my family is in the South, including my dear aunt -- who's pretty much a dead-ringer for Paula Dean. I"ll consult her on this one :)
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