Buttermilk Pie, Oh My!

It was a dark and rainy Saturday – and everyone was bored. My husband said there was nothing to eat. Have we not all experienced our loved ones staring into a nicely stocked refrigerator waiting for something to look delicious? Clearly no items in our fridge had made that transition so I decided to bake a pie.

The problem was that I didn’t want to work too hard. So, I made a Buttermilk Pie. It’s so easy, apparently some cooks in WW II referred to it as “desperation pie”. I wasn’t desperate and we had plenty of ingredients at hand, but I just love the sweet slightly tart custardy sensation of a Buttermilk Pie (and it’s easy – can’t lie).

The History of Food is fascinating, and I assumed this pie was a southern thing like grits or turnip greens until I did a little digging and discovered that its roots are indeed English – the recipe just travelled south once it made an ocean voyage.

Here’s the deal – it’s actually kind of like chess pie in texture only with lemon and vanilla plus the added zip of the buttermilk. The recipe requires a mixing bowl a spoon and an oven for equipment. Can’t get much better than that.

The hardest part of this entire recipe is waiting to eat it. Your house will smell delicious. Your people will be clamoring for a slice BUT – it’s a million times better cold. Tell everyone to hold their horses and just wait for a yummy dessert. You’ll be so rewarded with praise when you serve this after dinner, (even happier if you have it all alone as a midnight snack). Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk Pie

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine eggs and sugar

Mix in flour, buttermilk, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt until well combined.

Add butter and mix to thoroughly combine.

Pour filling into pie crust and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Cool before slicing.

This pie doesn’t need a thing but feel free to garnish with a little fruit.