Fruit

You know a pie recipe is old when several stories are told about its history. Some say the term chess pie goes back to an eighteenth-century English cheese pie. Another links the origins of the name to the Southern pie chest, or pie safe, a piece of furniture that holds kitchen confections. Another anecdote tells of a man who stopped to eat at a diner in Alabama. He loved the pie he was served, and when he asked what its name was, the waitress replied, “jes pie.” Whatever the truth may be, as food writer Stephanie Anderson Witmer says, “So many Southern pies, like the chess pies, are elegant in their simplicity. They use staple ingredients, but are divine.”

This recipe was in Mrs. Rowe’s self-published cookbook, Mrs. Rowe’s Favorite Recipes, which is no longer in print. A note at the bottom of the page gives low-fat options, like using low-fat cream cheese and margarine. Give it a whirl if you like, but you’d be missing out on the true-blue flavor of this pie. The coconut and pecans will need close attention while toasting; don’t let their heavenly smell distract you. In fact, they continue to cook for a minute or so after being removed from the heat, so stop cooking them just before they look the way you want them to—golden brown and crunchy. Try the Chocolate Cookie Crust (page 21) for contrast, or the Gingersnap Crust (page 22) to cut the sweetness.

The icy strawberry filling in this pie is pleasantly complemented by the luscious whipped cream. The pie tastes just like a margarita—the tequila flavor adds quite a zing. The recipe calls for freezing the whipped cream on top of the pie, but you can also freeze just the strawberry part and add the whipped cream when you serve the pie.

Fresh watermelon is a summertime treat throughout the South, where the melons can be seen sprawled in many backyard gardens. These days, watermelon can be bought almost any time of year at most grocery stores. This pretty pink pie makes a spectacular offering at a special brunch.

Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants serve this luscious dream of a pie for chocolate lovers only on special occasions—but you can make it anytime at home.

Roger Bible, a relative of the Rowe family, says “My favorite pie is Mildred’s banana cream, which she often brought along to family gatherings. I think it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

This pie is unbelievably easy—you really can’t fail. You could make this pie in a plain pie crust, but why would you want to when this sweet and spicy alternative is available? When you prepare the egg yolks for the filling, remember to save the whites for the meringue.

This filling, which has a pleasant tartness, bakes up like a firm custard. The pie is at its best when served slightly warm. If it’s been in the refrigerator, 20 seconds in the microwave is all it takes to warm up a slice for that just-baked sensation.

If you don’t like the texture of lime zest in an otherwise smooth and silky filling, feel free to leave it out. Although it isn’t really a Key lime pie without Key lime juice, regular lime juice is just as delicious in this pie. For those who like a wonderfully tart pie, serve it plain, or you can top it with a dollop of whipped cream. If the pie sticks to the pan when you’re scooping it out, try dipping the bottom of the pan into a bowl of warm water to loosen it.

Mrs. Rowe attributed this recipe to her friend Mrs. John Martin, a Mennonite from Harrisonburg. The custard is slightly grainy, which is normal for this old-fashioned pie, and its pleasant, refreshing flavor is unusual to the modern palate. For plumper raisins, bring them to a boil in a small amount of water, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the raisins thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.

Here’s another recipe from Susan Simmons, a longtime baker at Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet who now works in the catering arm. Pouring the hot custard over the bananas infuses an incredible banana flavor into the creamy custard, making for an ultimate pie experience. When you prepare the egg yolks for the custard, remember to save the whites for the meringue!

This recipe was found in a notebook belonging to Bertha, one of Mildred’s sisters. It was clipped out of an old newspaper and pasted onto a page of the notebook. It’s a festive-looking and showy pie offering a delicate almond-coconut flavor and a spongy, frothy texture somewhere between meringue and marshmallow, with a hint of chewiness from the coconut. It makes a delightful addition to any holiday table.

This recipe was found in a notebook belonging to Willard Rowe (Mildred’s second husband), on a stained and yellowed sheet of ruled paper. Willard died in 1972, but many of his recipes are still used by the family and the business. This pie is a favorite of longtime customers Marion and Gene Harner, who remember when Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant included a slice of pie with every meal. “You got a complete meal for under $2,” says Gene.

“Impossible” pies, which were popular in the 1960s, are made with Bisquick instead of pie crust. This recipe, from Mildred’s sister Virginia, isn’t authentically “impossible” because it doesn’t use Bisquick. Instead, the filling makes its own firmer layer of custard next to the pie plate as it bakes, forming a sort of crust. It’s simply perfect for the crust-shy baker. The coconut on top of this pie is nice and crunchy, providing a delightful contrast to the creamy custard.

There are never any leftovers of this flavorful pie at Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet. Because green tomatoes have such a short season, customers have many long months to look forward to this pie, with its robust spice and vinegar essences perfectly mingled with an underlying sweetness. The flavors unfold with every bite. Longtime regular customers know to get to the restaurant early enough to enjoy a slice. If the green tomato season slips by, try tomatillos instead. This pie also works as a side dish with pork chops or chicken.

This is the most popular dessert at Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and Bakery. Enough said.

When she was a child, Mildred harvested and sold chestnuts. She often arose earlier in the morning than her brothers and sisters to pick the cherished nuts, which were a cash crop for many Appalachian families. But by 1950, most American Chestnut trees were wiped out by a devastating blight. Even though you can’t pick chestnuts from a tree growing in the forest now, you can certainly buy chestnuts in the grocery store—most of which aren’t grown in the United States. Processing chestnuts isn’t a chore to be taken lightly because of their very hard shells, so we recommend using sweetened chestnut puree, which can be found in better grocery stores. This pie is moist and has a pleasant hint of orange flavor to complement the earthy, sweet chestnut taste.

This recipe was found in one of Mrs. Rowe’s old handwritten notebooks. You can substitute fresh cherries or, for a special treat, use fresh sour cherries. You may want to adjust how much sugar you use, based on the sweetness of the cherries.

If you have access to a bramble of blackberry bushes, guard it with your life. The price of blackberries makes it more than reasonable to pick your own, besides which nothing is quite so satisfying as picking your own berries. Perhaps it’s knowing where the food came from and taking part in the ancient practice of foraging. If you must use frozen berries, you should measure them while they’re still frozen, because they shrivel as they thaw. Also, it’s important to thaw and drain frozen berries before placing them in the pie shell, otherwise the pie will be watery. Use potato starch in this pie if you can. It gives the filling a clear, jewel-like color, and it has less flavor than cornstarch.

On Mother’s Day, 2008, Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet sold out of its fifty-six strawberry pies—it’s become such an integral part of the local tradition. You must use fresh berries for this pie. Frozen ones would make the pie too runny. For variety, you can use any kind of fresh berry; just make sure the berry and the flavor of gelatin complement one another.