Chess pie

Chess pie
A vanilla buttermilk 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

According to James Beard's American Cookery (1972), chess pie was brought from England originally and was found in New England as well as Virginia.[1] A recipe similar to chess pie appears in Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery, from the mid-17th Century. A recipe for chess pie appeared in the 1877 cookbook by Estelle Woods Wilcox, Buckeye Cookery.

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 is most likely a mispronunciation of "cheese pie;" the combination of eggs, butter, and sugar in chess pie recipes make a custardlike filling which is similar in texture to British cheesecakes and lemon curd.[2] Alternately, it could be named after the town of Chester, England, again due to the similarity to British pies and tarts.[3] The term may also have come from a piece of furniture used prior to home refrigeration called a "pie chest," in which pies were stored. Alternatively, it could have come from a mispronunciation of "It's just pie” ("It's jes' pie").[4]

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 stabilizing agent in the filling. Many recipes call for an acid such as vinegar, buttermilk, or lemon juice.[5]

In addition to standard chess pie, other flavor variations include lemon, coconut and chocolate chess pie.[6] Nut pies, including pecan, fall under the category of chess pies.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Chess Pie Recipes: Taste of the South". Southern Living. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  2. ↑ Stradley, Linda (2015-05-19). "Chess Pie history, Whats Cooking America". What's Cooking America. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  3. ↑ Olver, Lynne. "Food Timeline: history notes-pie & pastry". www.foodtimeline.org. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  4. ↑ Stradley, Linda (2017). "Chess Pie History". What's Cooking America. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
  5. ↑ "Southern Chess Pie: Tips and Variations". The Spruce. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
  6. ↑ Schneider, Crady. "Chess Pie: Nothing More Southern". Porter Briggs. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  7. ↑ "Everything You Need to Know About Classic American Pie". Eater. Retrieved 2018-02-21.


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