Chess pie
Type | Pie |
---|---|
Place of origin | England |
Main ingredients | Pie crust, eggs, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, corn meal |
Variations | Lemon chess pie, vinegar pie |
Chess pie is a dessert characteristic of southern United States cuisine.
History[]
Little is definitively known about chess pie's origins, but it has some similarities to English lemon curd pie. A recipe for similar cheesecake appears in Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery, from the mid-18th century.
Chess pie is most commonly associated as a dessert of the American South. Common types of chess pie are buttermilk, chocolate, lemon, and nut.
Etymology[]
The origin of the name chess pie is unknown, but many theories have been proposed. It could be a derivation of "cheese pie", the combination of eggs, butter, and sugar making a custardlike filling that is similar in texture to British cheesecakes and lemon curd;[1] it could be named after the town of Chester, England;[2] it could be from a piece of furniture used prior to home refrigeration called a "pie chest", in which pies were stored; or it could be an eggcorn of "It's just pie," due to a misinterpretation of the pronunciation "It's jes' pie" in Southern American English.[3]
Composition[]
The basic chess pie recipe calls for the preparation of a single crust and a filling composed of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. Some variations call for the addition of cornmeal as a thickener. Many recipes call for an acid such as vinegar, buttermilk, or lemon juice.[4]
In addition to standard chess pie, other flavor variations include lemon, coconut, and chocolate chess pie.[5] Nut pies, including pecan, fall under the category of chess pies.[6]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Stradley, Linda (2015-05-19). "Chess Pie history". What's Cooking America. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- ^ Olver, Lynne. "Food Timeline: history notes-pie & pastry". The Food Timeline. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- ^ Linda (2017). "Chess Pie History". What's Cooking America. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
- ^ "Southern Chess Pie: Tips and Variations". The Spruce. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- ^ Schneider, Crady (2017-03-14). "Chess Pie: Nothing More Southern". Porter Briggs. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
- ^ "Everything You Need to Know About Classic American Pie". Eater. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- Sweet pies
- Cuisine of the Southern United States
- American pies
- Pie stubs