It's Jes' Pie

February is my second favorite month of the year. As a food centric writer, February is a month that could get a girl in trouble if one is trying to watch the waistline. This month is filled with so many special and quirky holidays that’s celebrated with epic varieties of cuisines. https://nationaltoday.com/february-holidays/ From the get-go, I start my 30 day boot camp in February. I have one month to get physically and inwardly fit for my annual week long girl's trip. Since there's only 28 days in this month, I use the final two days for a much needed period of rest for the missing days that the month is shorted.

First of all, there's the ever popular Groundhog Day. As a woman who reads Science magazines, it's particularly amusing that I revel in the weather speculations of a rodent from Pennsylvania. I can't recall when the predictions were ever correct. But, I suppose that it's the pure Americana of it all that attracts me to this event.

Secondly, all in one week, there's the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and Abraham Lincoln's Birthday. I do have a fondness for Lincoln mostly because the very first school play that I had a leading role was a play about Lincoln. I was cast as the lanky President, because I was the tallest kid in the classroom also I was the only one who could recite the Gettysburg Address from memory. Yes, I have always been a dork. Two other BIG celebrations that come to mind, have their own signature parade and food. Two of my favorites, Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras also in the same week.

The very next week is Valentine's Day. I grew to love chocolate in my 30's. So any day that gives me an excuse to eat chocolate is a good day for me! The very next day is President's Day and George Washington's Birthday. By the end of this week, the month is nearly over and it hardly seems like you've worked all month.

But somewhere within the multitude of celebrations, I want to recognize that February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH. This is the month that is dedicated to the acknowledgement of African American contributions to the world. As a southern woman and a descendant of slaves, I enjoy writing about the contributions made to American Cuisine by black people. Black History Month is so much more than the March on Washington or the dynamic speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A large part of that history is the contributions made by black cooks. One of my favorite memories was discovering a book on slave dialect and reading about how "Chess Pie" came to be. I don't know if it's fact or fable, but this pie lover thinks that it is a fun story to share.

The writer tells the story of how founding father, Thomas Jefferson was known for entertaining. It was commonly known that Jefferson had the only French trained cook around Washington, DC at the time. Many coveted the honor of an invitation to dine at the home of Thomas Jefferson. But one evening Mr. Jefferson had unexpected dinner guests. Jame, his famously French trained cook (and brother to Sally Hemmings), had not planned a dessert fancy enough for guest that evening. When informed that there were guest staying for dinner, Jame found himself scrambling to concoct something worthy of his reputation. He made a Pate Brisee (pie crust) and filled it with a mixture of beaten eggs, buttermilk, sugar, cornmeal, and lemon juice then baked it right up. He topped the pie with whipped cream. Needless to say that the pie made a huge impression on Jefferson's guests that evening. Such an impression that the ladies wanted to know what the dessert was called? Jefferson was said to have sent for Jame to respond to the request in person. When asked, Jame replied it's jes' pie. Soon the recipe was shared throughout elite households in the nation’s capital and by then it was known as "Chess Pie".

For this February, I hope that you will take a weekly journey with me in celebration of the history, the soul, the joy, and the cuisine of black folk.

Chess Pie

Ingredients

¼ cup cornmeal 

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla paste or the scrapings from ½ vanilla bean

2¼ cups pure cane sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons full-fat buttermilk

6 large eggs

Finely grated lemon zest of ½ lemon

2 prepared pie shells (Pate Brisee) 

Instructions

Add the butter to the pan; once it has melted, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean scrapings. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt into the cornmeal. Whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and lemon zest in a separate bowl or large liquid measuring cup, stir in the butter-vanilla mixture.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until well incorporated. There is no such thing as “overmixing” here, but be sure not to incorporate too much air. This is your pie filling.

Take the pie shells out of freezer and place each one on a baking sheet. Divide the filling evenly, pouring into each pie shell; the level of filling should be below the rim of the pies; do not overfill.

Transfer the pies to the oven (upper and lower racks); as soon as you close the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back after the first 30 minutes. When the pies are done, their filling should have only a slight wiggle at the center, but be mostly set.

Once they have cooled to room temperature, cover loosely and refrigerate for a few hours to chill thoroughly. Serve cold or at room temperature.