Chess pie was one such food item stored in a pie chest and became so popular that it became synonymous with pie chests. As to why it’s called chess pie, well there are many theories. Due to the high amount of sugar, the cake was most commonly stored in chests at room temperature making it a chest pie. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Chess Pie is so cool in that it was a style of pie developed primarily to help put good use to ingredients that had passed their prime. From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. There are several theories on the origin of the name. It is a custard style pie with a crisp browned topping. The pie is especially popular in the American South. Many recipes call for an acid such as vinegar, buttermilk, or lemon juice. The origin of chess pie remains uncertain. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Its name “chest pie” was eventually corrupted to “chess pie.” Though it’s not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it’s velvety texture and yellow color. Origins The earliest printed reference to the pie was in a cookbook published by the Fort Worth Women's Club in 1928. This Classic Chess Pie is as delicious (and easy) as it gets. Mix in the eggs, then stir in the … Buttermilk pie, meanwhile, always has buttermilk. A recipe similar to chess pie appears in Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery, from the mid-18th century. It typically made with a mixture of eggs, butter, and sugar that’s baked in a pie crust and has a custard-like texture. During a time when pecans and other nuts were hard to come by, she made a sugar pie, combining eggs, sugar, flour or cornmeal, butter, and spices or citrus to cut the sweetness. The only tricky part is blind-baking the crust, which requires a little experience (just make sure the aluminum foil is completely pressed against the crust to prevent it shrinking),” according to one 5-star review. A recipe for chess pie appeared in the 1877 cookbook by Estelle Woods Wilcox, Buckeye Cookery. Those chests were pretty common back then. A Southern accent might cause someone to mishear “just” pie as “jes,’” or “chess” pie. Chess pie is a popular dessert in the American South that originated from England. I wanted to know why, as time went by, we had not talked more about the chess pie. Here’s everything you need to know about the super simple sweet treat: Chess pie is about as simple as a dessert can be. Instead, she talked about folklore and how infrequently any food story is single-origin. [6], In addition to standard chess pie, other flavor variations include lemon, coconut, and chocolate chess pie. There’s a few theories for the origin of the name Chess Pie.The general story says that the name refers to an old pie safe or chest, where you stored pies that didn’t need refrigeration. One legend regarding the name “chess” suggests that the word “chess” is actually the word “just,” pronounced with a southern accent. Vinegar pie generally adds somewhere between a teaspoonful and tablespoonful of vinegar to the above ingredients to reduce the sweetness. While chess pie can include buttermilk to balance out the sweetness of all that sugar, it doesn’t have to include buttermilk. ginauf/Getty Images, Credit: Why is it called chess pie? According to one legend, a cook was asked what she was cooking that smelled so good. As you’ll see from the recipes, they are different one from another. Some variations call for the addition of cornmeal as a thickener. (Also called a pie safe, a pie chest was a freestanding piece of furniture that kept pies and other foods locked up and safe from rats and mice.) Buttermilk and chess pies are alike in a lot of ways: They’re both made with few pantry staples, they both have rich custard fillings, and a pale yellow hue makes them almost identical. It’s a mystery. Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. ).”, “This pie was delicious and so easy,” raves another reviewer. Southern gentlemen liked to enjoy the dessert after dinner while they played chess. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. [7] Nut pies, including pecan, fall under the category of chess pies. “I had tried to make a chess pie from another recipe, and the pie was a failure. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. Gooey, buttery, and supremely sweet, the chess pie has been a staple of the Southern dessert table for a couple hundred years. Some variations are called Jeff Davis or Jefferson Davis Pie, and Kentucky pie. Well, they are are yummy!! How to Make Chess Pie. 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;[3] it could be named after the town of Chester, England;[4] 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"/"It's jes' pie". “Chess” could be a derivation of “cheese.” Though there is no cheese in chess pie, its rich texture is comparable to British cheesecakes or curd pies. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 425°F. … One of them is that the pies were originally kept unrefrigerated in a chest. One of the first instances in which the pie was referred to as “chess pie” occurred in 1877 in Estelle Woods Wilcox’s cookbook called Buckeye Cookery. If I make the coconut one again, I will use unsweetened coconut, since the pie is already very sweet and sweetened flaked coconut made it just shy of cloying. why is it called "chess pie"? However, these Southern desserts aren’t quite the same thing. This classic pie is super easy to prepare. Cornmeal usually serves as an additional stabilizing ingredient, while an acid (buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice) is frequently added to punch up the flavor a bit. [2] A recipe similar to chess pie appears in Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery, from the mid-18th century. It originated from England back in the 1700s and became very popular in the Southern United States in the 1800s. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. There are several funny and interesting theories of why the pie is called chess pie: It was traditionally served to the gentleman before they retreated to another room to play chess. A recipe for chess pie appeared in the 1877 cookbook by Estelle Woods Wilcox, Buckeye Cookery. Though the origin of the name remains uncertain, there are plenty of guesses and a bit of folklore surrounding it. As a southern classic and pronounced with a drawl, “Chest” became “Chess.” The recipe always calls for butter, sugar, and eggs, but bakers … Chess pie is a popular dessert in the American South that originated from England. More acids, like lemon juice or vinegar, are also frequently added to brighten up the recipe even more. This includes the trademarked Derby Pie, a chocolate-walnut mixture invented specifically for the Kentucky Derby. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Don’t take our word for it, though—here’s what our readers have to say about the super simple recipe: “This pie was delicious and so easy! We know it’s been around for quite some time, but the pie’s exact origins are hard to pinpoint. Chess pie is a rich dessert with an even richer history. Mini Chocolate Chess Pies - Rich, Decadent, Truly Delicious Salted butter: I always thinks salted butter tastes best when browned, plus this pie is rather sweet so the salty butter balances that out. Though it’s not always called upon to thicken the filling, cornmeal is frequently what gives a chess pie it’s velvety texture and yellow color. In a large bowl whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornmeal, vanilla extract, milk, melted butter and ground nutmeg until smooth (see recipe below for amounts). MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Foodcollection/Getty Images, Credit: Born of convenience rather than extravagance, the most basic chess pie filling consists of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour in a single pastry crust.. Cornmeal usually serves as an additional stabilizing ingredient, while an acid (buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice) is frequently added to punch up the flavor a bit. So which one’s true? What Is Chess Pie—And How Did It Get Its Name? Chess pie is most commonly associated as a dessert of the American South. Often, it was stored in something called a “pie chest.” The word “chest,” some say, was eventually corrupted to “chess.”. It's debatable as to why they call it chess pie. Standard pie crust: Homemade is best of course but store bought will work fine too to save time. Chess Pie Ingredients. There are a lot of stories about how chess pie got its name. Cornmeal is almost never used in buttermilk pie—the only thickening agent in this dessert is flour. When making a chess pie (and any custard pie for that matter), just remember one golden rule: The successful chess pie is baked low and slow. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time. There’s also a really cute story behind why it’s called Chess Pie. 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. I mentioned earlier that chess pies actually originated in England. Your search ends here. This was so easy and my husband loved it! “My 7-year-old made the filling (with my supervision), and really she didn't need much help at all. Common types of chess pie are buttermilk, chocolate, lemon, and nut. Custard, essentially a mixture of milk or cream and eggs … Chess Pie was originally a cake or a tart of light pastry containing cheese. But there are three main prevailing theories on how chess pies got their name: An Americanization of the English word “cheese”. 1. While chess pie can include buttermilk to balance out the sweetness of all that sugar, it doesn’t have to include buttermilk. Born of convenience rather than extravagance, the most basic chess pie filling consists of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour in a single pastry crust. It is a custard style pie with a crisp browned topping. Chess pies show up in kitchens all over the country under different names. 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. Why is it called chess pie? Chess pie has only two components: a sweet custard filling and a pastry crust. More often, vinegar is used to get that job done. … Chess Pie is commonly associated with the southern United States. Chess Pie? Basically the Chess Pie is a cheese-less cheesecake. I will never buy another chess pie.”, Credit: It is generally made up of a traditional pie crust while the filling consists of eggs, milk or buttermilk, flour, sugar and often vinegar or lemon. For more easy desserts, be sure to check out my Homemade Churros and Chocolate Cola Cake! Best Your Best Chef-Self: The Complete How-To Guide. We made the coconut version, which was really good. It may also cause a thin, ugly and nasty tasting crust to form over the top of the pie. Fruit and nuts can be added into the pie, and I’ve even had chocolate chess pie and lemon chess pie … The most probable explanation is that since the English lemon curd pie filling is very close to lemon chess pie, and they believe the word “chess” is an Americanization of the English word “cheese,” referring to curd pie. It seems that nobody can agree on why chess pies are called chess pies. Line the chilled pie shell with … The name “chess pie” is rooted in mystery. Chess pie is a dessert characteristic of Southern United States cuisine, particularly in Virginia.[1]. Chess pie has long been associated with the South. Yet another story suggests that the dessert is so high in sugar that it kept well in pie chests at room temperature and was therefore called ‘chest pie.’ Southern drawl slurred the name into chess pie.” Chess pie was created using … More often, vinegar is used to get that job done. But our friends loved it, my daughter was very proud, and it tasted just as a Southern chess pie should (said this Georgia native! The origin of the name chess pie is unknown, but many theories have been proposed. MyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. [5], The basic chess pie recipe calls for the preparation of a single crust and a filling composed of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. Chess pie is closely related to vinegar pie, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Chess pie is about as simple as a dessert can be. What the asker heard, though, was “it’s chess pie.”, Compared to other custard-based pastries, the chess pie holds up relatively well at room temperature. Rushing a chess or custard pie by increasing the oven temperature will curdle the eggs, causing the pie to be watery. Let’s take a look at some of the most common stories surrounding its name: Looking for the very best chess pie recipe? Granulated sugar: Traditional chess pie … In a 1955 cookbook by Elizabeth Hedgecock Sparks called. Some say it is a mispronunciation of "cheese" pie while others say it got its name because it was served to men as they played chess. The most plausible and generally accepted origin of the name is this. It is generally made up of a traditional pie crust while the filling consists of eggs, milk or buttermilk, flour, sugar and often vinegar or lemon. “It’s jes’ pie,” she replied. Begin by preheating the oven to 325-degrees F. Next make the pie filling. Victor Protasio. How to make a chess pie… Buttermilk would be used in place of regular milk, vinegar would be used when citrus was not around. What is Chess Pie? Pecan is probably the most famous type of chess pie, but all nut pies are technically chess pies. Chess pie is a dessert that’s a classic in the South even though it originated in England. [8], "The Most Iconic Dessert From Every State Gallery", "Food Timeline: history notes-pie & pastry", "Southern Chess Pie: Tips and Variations", "Everything You Need to Know About Classic American Pie", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chess_pie&oldid=999309605, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 January 2021, at 14:57. 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