chess pie
{{short description|Pie made from buttermilk }}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Chess pie
| image = Buttermilk Chess Pie, August 2009.jpg
| caption = A slice of vanilla buttermilk chess pie
| alternate_name =
| country = England
| region =
| creator =
| course =
| type = Pie
| served =
| main_ingredient = Pie crust, eggs, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, corn meal
| variations = Lemon chess pie, vinegar pie
| calories =
| other =
}}
Chess pie is a dessert with a filling composed mainly of flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and sometimes milk, characteristic of Southern United States cuisine.{{sfn|Weinstein|2007|p=339}}
Jefferson Davis pie is similar to chess pie, but Jefferson Davis pie may also contain spices, nuts, or dried fruits and is usually topped with meringue.{{Cite encyclopedia |year=2007 |title=Pastries |encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink |publisher=Oxford University Press |last=Kaufman |first=Cathy K. |editor-last=Smith |editor-first=Andrew F. |pages=438 |isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 |oclc=71833329}}
History
It is unknown where the name "chess pie" came from, although there are several well-known theories.{{Cite web |title=Chess pie |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/chess-pie |website=Britannica |access-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-date=March 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314094622/https://www.britannica.com/topic/chess-pie |url-status=live }} The most likely is "chess-cake pie", as in cheese cake pie, became chess pie over time.{{Cite web |title=chess pie |url=https://dare.wisc.edu/words/quarterly-updates/quarterly-update-17/chess-pie/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Dictionary of American Regional English |archive-date=April 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240417122201/https://dare.wisc.edu/words/quarterly-updates/quarterly-update-17/chess-pie/ |url-status=live }} Martha Washington's Chess Cake recipe is very similar to today's chess pie.{{Cite web |last=Calta |first=Marialisa |date=2012-02-13 |title=We cannot tell a lie: this cake looks a lot like a pie |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2012/02/13/we-cannot-tell-a-lie-this-cake-looks-a-lot-like-a-pie/61096875007/ |website=The Oklahoman |access-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911040258/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2012/02/13/we-cannot-tell-a-lie-this-cake-looks-a-lot-like-a-pie/61096875007/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Cathey |first=Dave |date=2016-01-06 |title=A dessert gambit: Oklahoma cafeteria's closing brings the Food Dude to search for a chess pie recipe |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/entertainment/columns/dave-cathey/2016/01/06/a-dessert-gambit-oklahoma-cafeterias-closing-brings-the-food-dude-to-search-for-a-chess-pie-recipe/60700232007/ |website=The Oklahoman |access-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-date=September 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911040257/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/entertainment/columns/dave-cathey/2016/01/06/a-dessert-gambit-oklahoma-cafeterias-closing-brings-the-food-dude-to-search-for-a-chess-pie-recipe/60700232007/ |url-status=live }} The 1881 cookbook Buckeye Cookery—With Hints on Practical Housekeeping included a recipe submitted by Mrs. J. Carson of Glendale, Minnesota.{{sfn|Wilcox|1881|p=217}} The recipe maintained the basic custard ingredients of eggs, butter, and sugar, but the egg whites were whipped into a meringue and spread on top.{{cite book |last1=Wilcox |first1=Estelle Woods |title=Buckeye Cookery: With Hints on Practical Housekeeping |date=1881 |publisher=Buckeye Publishing Company |page=217 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QJ5GAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22chess%20pie%22&pg=PA217}}
One of the most popular theories is that it is an eggcorn of "It's just pie" due to a misinterpretation of the pronunciation "It's jes' pie" in Southern American English. The pie was thought to be so simple any home cook with eggs, butter and sugar would know what to do.{{Cite web |last=Salkeld |first=Lauren |date=Sep 8, 2022 |title=What Exactly Is Chess Pie? |url=https://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-chess-pie-23431662 |website=The Kitchn}}{{Cite news |last=Donovan |first=Lisa |date=2018-12-17 |title=I wanted the real story behind chess pie's name. But no one wanted to talk about it. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/i-wanted-the-real-story-behind-chess-pies-name-but-no-one-wanted-to-talk-about-it/2018/12/17/ab387360-fcca-11e8-ad40-cdfd0e0dd65a_story.html |access-date=2024-09-11 |newspaper=Washington Post |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203040429/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/i-wanted-the-real-story-behind-chess-pies-name-but-no-one-wanted-to-talk-about-it/2018/12/17/ab387360-fcca-11e8-ad40-cdfd0e0dd65a_story.html |url-status=live }}
It is the South's most searched-for Thanksgiving pie.{{Cite web |last=Cericola |first=Lisa |date=August 29, 2024 |orig-date=October 13, 2023 |title=Even We Were Surprised By The South's Most Searched For Thanksgiving Pie |url=https://www.southernliving.com/chess-pie-favorite-thanksgiving-pie-8349850 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427005237/https://www.southernliving.com/chess-pie-favorite-thanksgiving-pie-8349850 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |website=Southern Living}} Despite the pie's iconic status in the South, no recipe for "Chess Pie" appears in the first Southern cookbook, Mary Randolph's 1824 The Virginia Housewife. One food historian explains the early recipes for transparent pudding, such as "Mary Randolph's Transparent Pudding" (containing no milk) in the 1825 edition are "for all intents and purposes chess pie". Recipes for "Chess Pie" made without milk can be found in early 20th-century cookbooks.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Jean |date=2012-03-14 |title=The South's Storied Chess Pie: Food + Cooking |url=http://www.gourmet.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/food/gourmetlive/2012/031412/the-souths-storied-chess-pie.html |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=gourmet.com |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914155524/http://www.gourmet.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/food/gourmetlive/2012/031412/the-souths-storied-chess-pie.html |url-status=live }}
Variations of the chess pie include transparent pie, molasses pie, brown sugar pie, syrup pie, and vinegar pie.{{Cite book |last=McDermott |first=Nancie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BkRvhbmZ5QMC&dq=compendium&pg=PT94 |title=Southern Pies: A Gracious Plenty of Pie Recipes, From Lemon Chess to Chocolate Pecan |date=September 2010 |publisher=Chronicle Books |isbn=978-0-8118-6992-8 |access-date=12 September 2024 |archive-date=September 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914155524/https://books.google.com/books?id=BkRvhbmZ5QMC&dq=compendium&pg=PT94#v=onepage&q=compendium&f=false |url-status=live }}
Composition
The basic chess pie recipe calls for the preparation of a single crust and a filling composed of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs and milk or condensed milk. Some variations call for the addition of cornmeal as a thickener. Many recipes call for an acid such as vinegar, buttermilk, or lemon juice.{{Cite news |last=Rattray |first=Diana |title=Southern Chess Pie: Tips and Variations |url=https://www.thespruce.com/chess-pie-recipes-and-pie-making-tips-3034486 |access-date=2018-02-21 |work=The Spruce |archive-date=February 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222045035/https://www.thespruce.com/chess-pie-recipes-and-pie-making-tips-3034486 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Chess Pie Recipes: Taste of the South |url=http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/chess-pie-recipes-00417000072438/ |access-date=2013-05-13 |website=Southern Living |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514123029/http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/chess-pie-recipes-00417000072438/ |url-status=live }}
Recipes dating from the 19th century typically including eggs, butter, sugar, and vinegar baked in a pie crust, with regional variations.{{cite book |last1=Huggins |first1=Mollie |title=Tried and True: Tennessee Model Household Guide. Practical Help in Household |date=1897 |publisher=Publishing House Methodist Episcopal Church, South |page=142 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Op9FAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22chess%20pie%22&pg=PA142 |language=en}}
In addition to standard chess pie, other flavor variations include lemon, coconut, and chocolate chess pie.{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Crady |date=2017-03-14 |title=Chess Pie: Nothing More Southern |url=http://porterbriggs.com/chess-pie/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222044203/http://porterbriggs.com/chess-pie/ |archive-date=2018-02-22 |access-date=2017-06-19 |website=Porter Briggs}} Some nut pies, including some pecan, fall under the category of chess pies.{{Cite web |last=Galarza |first=Daniela |date=2015-07-01 |title=Everything You Need to Know About Classic American Pie |url=https://www.eater.com/2015/7/1/8872413/pie-crust-apple-cream-custard-chess-styles-where-to-eat |access-date=2018-02-21 |website=Eater |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203042828/https://www.eater.com/2015/7/1/8872413/pie-crust-apple-cream-custard-chess-styles-where-to-eat |url-status=live }} Traditional pecan pie recipes do not include milk or condensed milk in the filling, and are typically regarded as a type of sugar pie similar to British treacle rather than a milk-containing custard (see {{Section link|Pecan pie|Variations}}).
See also
References
{{reflist}}
=Works cited=
- {{Cite encyclopedia |year=2007 |title=Karo Syrup |encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink |publisher=Oxford University Press |last=Weinstein |first=Jay |editor-last=Smith |editor-first=Andrew F. |pages=339 |isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 |oclc=71833329}}
{{American pies}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chess Pie}}