The Evolution of Pecan Pie Recipes: From Custard to Corn Syrup
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- Welcome back to the kitchen, friends! In today's episode of Sunday morning old cookbook show, we're taking on a challenge - making not one, but three pecan pie recipes.
Before we dive into the recipes, let's set some ground rules. Pecan pie, like many traditional recipes, didn't have a eureka moment. It evolved over time, with each version inspired by prior culinary traditions. Recipes were often shared orally or on scraps of paper, leading to gaps in our historical knowledge. So, my research is based on my collection of cookbooks and various databases, recognizing their limitations.
Now, about pecans - botanically, they're not nuts, but we'll refer to them as nuts for culinary purposes. And pronunciation? Well, unless you speak one of the original North American native languages, there's no universally agreed-upon way to say "pecan."
Let's jump into the first pie - a custard pie, a timeless classic found in cookbooks worldwide since the 1700s. The earliest American version, dubbed "pecan pie," appeared in Harper's Bazaar in 1886. It featured a rich custard with pecans, setting the stage for what was once called Texas pecan pie.
Forward to September 1922, and we encounter what I'll call the birthplace of the modern pecan pie. This recipe, focused solely on sugar, omitting milk. It marked a shift in pecan pie evolution and was likely inspired by earlier sugar pies found in various cultures.
The 1920s witness a boom in pecan availability due to improved agricultural practices. The once scarce pecans become more accessible, leading to a surge in pecan-centric recipes.
By 1925, corn syrup enters the scene, transforming pecan pies into the familiar sweet and gooey treat we know today. Companies like Karo Corn Syrup jump on the bandwagon, later claiming to have invented pecan pie, a claim debunked by historical evidence.
In 1929, we see the term "old-fashioned pecan pie," solidifying the recipe we recognize today. Over time, variations emerge, incorporating ingredients like vinegar, buttermilk, and spices.
Now, let's taste the results. We've got a custard pie, Myrtle's pecan pie, and a 1925 buttermilk-infused creation. Each has its unique twist, showcasing the diverse evolution of pecan pie recipes. While some may argue for their favorite, the truth is, every family has its pecan pie tradition, and they're all worth savoring.
If you have pre-1920 cookbooks with pecan pie recipes that break the custard mold, I'd love to see them. Let's fill in the gaps and complete the story of this beloved dessert. Thanks for joining me in this culinary journey, and I look forward to sharing more delicious stories with you soon.
1886 Harpers Bazaar Pecan Pie:
PECAN PIE
not only delicious, but is capable of being made "a real state pie," as an enthusiastic admirer said. The pecans must be very carefully hulled, and the meat thoroughly freed from any bark or husk. When ready, throw the nuts into boiling milk, and let them boil while you are preparing a rich custard. Have your pie plates lined with good pastry, and when the custard is ready, strain the milk from the nuts and add them to the custard. A méringue may be added, if liked, but very careful baking is necessary.
1922 Governor Of Texas Pecan Pie:
Pecan Pie.
By MRS. PAT NEFF
(Wife of the Governor of Texas).
Into the yolks of 4 eggs cream 1½ cups of sugar.
Add 1 teaspoonful melted butter to 1 tablespoonful vinegar and 1 teaspoonful of vanilla.
Stir into this 1½ cups of pecans and 1½ cups of raisins.
Add last the beaten whites of 4 eggs.
Bake in a moderate oven. This makes two pies.
1925
Pecan Pie
Two cups pecans chopped fine.
One cup sugar.
One cup vinegar
One cup syrup
One-half cup buttermilk.
One-half cup flour.
Two eggs.
Butter size of an egg.
One teaspoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon
One teaspoon soda dissolved in the one half cup of water.
Mix sugar and flour together dry.
Melt butter, mix all together, pour in- uncooked crust.
Put strips pastry across top.
Bake in moderate oven 30 -40 minutes
0:00 Pie 1 1886 (Texas) Custard Pecan Pie
6:45 Pie 2 1922 Texas Governor Pecan Pie
15:25 Pie 3 Vinegar Buttermilk Pecan Pie
23:15 Tasting Pecan Pies
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L1S 0E9
This claims to be a 1900 cookbook and has a recipe for pecan pie (sugar pie style): See page 47 of A Book of Famous Old New Orleans Recipes. However, the typeface (font) does not look circa 1900 to me... nor does the comb binding. It suggests mid-20th century. I'm guessing 1900 is a typo for 1960.
Yes I've been waiting all day for this comment... That book is a 'fake' published in the 1960s as a souvenir / gift shop book. The cover brazenly gives a date of 1900, but the substance of the book, recipes, plastic binding, and the fact that the publisher / printer didn't exist until December 1959 - means it was a fake and published in the 1960s.
The drawings on the cover and inside the book are signed by the artist and dated 1928...
I have two of these books in my collection, and a real book (same title and cover drawing) published in 1930 - but the 1930 version doesn't have pecan pie in it.
You're not the first to be caught out by this fakery - this book shows up in the research of several authors.
@@GlenAndFriendsCooking 😆 But I wasn't caught--just briefly side-tracked!
I love hearing the history behind the recipes. #2 would be my choice of pie mainly because of the closeness to a butter tart
I don't see that. Did it get removed?
Reprint !
Great video. Personally the chatty history ones are always my favorites. Thank you for all of your work and research.
Absolutely this. We know it requires immense work to put one of these shows together, as he has to go through many decades of history, but it's fascinating.
Thanks for all the work Glen
Plenty of recipe channels out there. Only Glen gives us this kind of education.
Ditto
I like the chatty history, but I wish he would call out the ingredients as he goes too.
@@oldrooster25 Tasting History with Max Miller is great for history, with a modern cook.
Early American is, I think, the one with the couple living like it's the frontier in the 18th century.
"If you are someone who doesn't like stories and history"
My man, the stories and history are the entire reason I watch your channel.
That and you are a local boy.
Sunday's are the best because of the history. Cooking what's on sale has also been a game changer for me as I now think that way. Also No Frills > any other store brand.
@@HansMaximum I don't have any no frills by me unfortunately, my wife uses Flipboard to scan through for sales and that seems to be working well.
I'm like, who doesn't like stories or history!?
My brain completed that line with "you're watching the wrong channel". Glenn is more forgiving.
Love that freezer drawer that seems to produce endless pie crusts.. 😂
Four.
I am 79 years old and a 5th generation Texan. My Grandmother made her pecan pie with sorghum. My mother used light corn syrup and my wife's mother used dark corn syrup.
Sounds like you need one of each for the holiday... For research and stuff
I could never figure out why my Grandma's Pecan Pie was so tasty but everyone else's were so bland. The color was different too. Then I started making her recipe and over time reading others in magazines and friends recipes and it dawned on me. My Grandma always used dark brown sugar and dark corn syrup instead of light corn syrup and light brown sugar. Major difference in taste. To me the light sugar/syrup version is almost tasteless other than the pecans. ☺️
Today I learned pecans are not a nut that they seeds
Are you able to report to us which one is best ?
I think that third pie has to be one of the best reactions we've ever gotten from glen
And I was surprised.... I didn't expect it to be good when the ingredients were put together.
@@TheMowgus I'm surprised it tasted like apples, I've had mock apple pie before that was made with Ritz crackers. I wonder if you combined the two if it would taste even more authentic?
I thought that third pie was going to be a disaster with so much vinegar and liquids in general. I might have to try it now!
2:56 - All recorded knowledge should be freely available.
As someone from the Lone Star State... I was really looking forward to this one! Thank you... enjoyed the recipes and the stories!
Myrtle Neff had a park in Texas named after her. Mother Neff State Park was the very first state park in Texas.
It wasn't named after "Myrtle Neff", it was named after Isabella Neff, who was the Governor's mother (Myrtle's mother-in-law), and who originally owned the land.
Oh! The Vinegar Buttermilk pie recipe was published on my mom's birthday (May 12th, 1925). That feels like I need to make it ❤
I wished I lived with someone who made three different types of pecan pies and asked me to test taste them. Thanks.
I love it when Glen gets shocked
Part of my master's research was studying the correllation between migration and foodways. Really interesting. My 1922 Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School Cookbook does not have a pecan pie recipe, but the recipe for pecan pie from my great grandmother's 1936 Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (p6, section 11) reads as follows: "Scald 1 cupful of sweet milk and 1/2 cupful of sugar. Thicken this with 2 tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with 3 tablespoonfuls of butter. Add gradually the well-beaten yolks of 2 eggs and 1 teaspoonful of butter. Cool, and add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 cupful of pecan meats chopped fine. Then pour into a baked pastry curst. Top with a meringue made form 2 egg whites beaten stiff with 2 tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. Return to a slow oven (300 degrees) and brown for about 15 minutes. Chopped almonds may be used in place of pecans. The meringue may be omitted." It does not say how long or at what temperature to bake the actual pie at, so that's helpful, lol!
How interesting the Pecan Pie Recipe and also how cool that you have your grandmother's old BH&G cookbook.
Neither does my 1915 version. The only mention of pecans is how to fry them.
thank you for sharing this recipe from your great-grandmother's 1936 BHG cookbook. What priceless treasure as I think about the memories of meals your family shared from this cookbook.
Thank you for sharing this, Aubrey!
cooking times in recipes are useless at best and misleading at worst. just look at the pie and decide whether or not you think it's done. Very rarely will that moment match up with the suggested cooking time even in a modern oven, unless the recipe was developed by you, using that specific oven and that specific pan and those specific brands of ingredients.
Actually I always love the stories behind recipes. How recipes evolve also give a good explanation of changes in society. It would be interesting to come back in 200 years to see what other changes in recipes took place.
It would be very funny if in 200 years someone references Glen. :)
indeed i
Pecans are one of my favorite nuts and now I learn that they aren’t a nut but the seed of a drupe - mind blown. Much like when as a kid (60 years ago) I learned that peanuts aren’t a nut - hey they even have the word “nut” in the name, what the heck! This was a very enjoyable episode. I very much appreciate the fuller content and gentle education. Tickles me to see the delight on their faces as they tasted the second and third pies. Good job!
I've never been a big fan of pecans or pecan pie - pecans are too sweet for me. Then I discovered peanut pie, which I do enjoy.
Fredricksburg Home Kitchen Cook Book (Texas, 1916) has 2 pecan pie recipes, both are custard type recipes (one is even called pecan custard pie).
Thanks for the info!
I still claim to be your biggest fan from the US who lives in Mexico City. Always watching your channel, and always cheering on every upload. Can’t wait till you make your next trip down here so we might have the chance to meet. Salud amigo.
Hola from Lake Chapala!
My family's pecan pie is less sticky and has no karo. From 1900 - 1920. I don't have the recipe any more, but I remember it used brown sugar, a whole stick of melted butter, several eggs, and a couple tablespoons of corn meal. "Great Aunt Effie's Chess Pie - add pecans if desired"
Luby's Cafeteria (from Texas) used to make a lemon chess pie that was to die for.
A+ thorn usage. My favourite rhubarb pie is one with the meringue mixed into the filling, but that was a mistake the first time -- my mother wasn't paying attention to what she was doing. I'll have to tell her that it's actually a real technique.
Ok but Glen, YOU say pecan the same way I say pecan, and since I'm from Tennessee and you're not, I have to believe that it must be the really really correct way to say pecan! 😊
My northern Minnesota raised mother pronounced it the same.
My Tennessee Grand dad born in 1865 had a very rural accent and said it the same way also.
I had an aunt from Minnesota who pronounced it PEE-CAN.......my dad from Oklahoma told her that was what you put under the bed when you didn't have indoor plumbing...😮
Born in PA, grew up in Alabama, that's how my family says pecan too.
Thanks!
thank you , Glen for your work.
Thank you very much!
I really enjoyed this long dive into history. I am currently reading Ruth Goodman’s book “THE DOMESTIC REVOLUTION How the Introduction of Coal into Victorian Homes Changed Everything” about how changes in fuels changed the foods being cooked (and who made them) and I think you might enjoy it. Although the subtitle is a bit of a misnomer, as the change began earlier. In any case, if the urge to tell us about any other recipe transformations ever comes upon you, I will be delighted to see it.
I didn't know that Ruth had that book out...I love her books, and tv shows.
I live in California’s Central Valley and pecan trees grow like weeds here. Birds drop the nuts to crack them and get lost and then grow into trees. I’m constantly stepping on them this time of year for the past month or so. I’m really interested in trying each one of these recipes just to try something different.👍
I'm on the coast of California (near Santa Cruz), and didn't realize pecans grew in California. I thought it was all almonds and walnuts in the Central Valley.
I love the history lesson, and I really appreciate all the effort this video took.
For the French sugar pie possibly check out the history of "Huguenot Torte".
chess pie
Pudding chomeur
I had just told my cousin I would look for a pre-corn syrup pecan pie! Yay! You saved me work!
A great culinary history lesson. I can see you have a large stack of cookbooks to review as well as your review of articles.
Excellent show episode. Two of the pies are now on my "Must Try" list. Please consider making a cookbook of your favorite recipes from the show at some point. I would gladly buy a copy.
I want a T-shirt that says "If you don't burn your mouth, it's fiiiiiine."
For me, as a child in the 1960's in England, treacle tart was a shortcrust pastry case filled with Quaker Oats and Tate & Lyle golden syrup.
I could never understand why Treacle Tart was made with Golden Syrup and treacle. So, I made it with treacle only and found out quickly why it has Golden Syrup.
@@darnstewartfor us not from England or those who do not have treacle easily available, what is the end result?
I always use Lyle’s to make my pecan pies. Great flavour.
I think the version I grew up with was with bread crumbs made from stale bread not oats. Also just for info my mum always used molasses instead of treacle after we moved to Canada from the UK. The two are very similar in taste just one is thicker than the other.
@@franciet99 It was a long time ago, I think it was a bitter sort of taste. Treacle is slightly sweeter than molasses and not as thick. I think treacle might equate to dark molasses and not blackstrap molasses. Golden syrup be light molasses. But you definitely need it to counter the bitterness of the treacle. As Glen says, use what you have. Give treacle tart a go using dark molasses, it may not be the same but probably in the same Post Code. A Post Code is smaller than a Zip Code, it covers maybe about 10 address'.
This video makes me wonder what you and Max from tasting history would get up to were you two to collaborate.
A pie that excites Glenn, that must be an outstanding creation. I must say it does sound very intriguing.
agree on both points and its always great to hearing Glenn's deep-drive a 'recipe' using historical , social, and cultural influences. While watching him prepare it, Jullie joins to try the dish and they discuss it. Which I highly enjoying hearing both view points and honest reactions.
This is so, so interesting. I've only had pecan pie once (they're not really a thing in Sweden), but I liked it well enough. Definitely something I want to experiment more with, maybe next time I see pecans on offer - they're quite expensive here. I do think other nuts could be really good in the same base, and if I use chopped almonds I suspect the filling will be very close to knäck, a Swedish Christmas candy... I'll just call it fusion cooking, very trendy 😂
In my opinion Walnuts would be a more appropriate nut to use. It’s a bit more closer in taste to Pecans.
In addition, Walnuts tend to be a cheaper nut.
Good Luck
The is Chess Pie basically omit the pecans. Which I grew up a having here in Eastern US in Tennessee -South. There are different ways to make a Chess Pie with cornmeal or flour, vinegar or butterrmilk, evaporated milk or heavy cream, and corn syrup, molasses, or sugar (brown or granulated) . Basicallly use what had available in the kitchen. The origin said to come from England vesrison Custard Pie and adapted later in State of Virgina which spread Southern and MidWest .
@MichaelReidOttawa Yeah, walnuts would be what I'd use as a substitute to get close to actual pecan pie - to me, pecans mostly just taste like sweet walnuts anyway, at least when eaten on their own.
Almonds would be more of a fusion thing, than an attempt to make a more "regionally accessible" version/substitution. Kind of like what Glen mentions early in the video, with taking two things you like and combining them to see what happens!
@brandiruble2987 there are a lot of American pies I want to try someday! Some ingredients are a bit difficult, but I've gotten quite good at figuring out substitution.
@@brandiruble2987 Interesting to know custard pie turned into chess pie in the US, while it became egg tart here in Hong Kong.
Happy to have Glen's story hour on a Sunday morn. 😀
For those of us living outside the US without access to conventional corn syrup…look for “pancake syrup”, it is mostly corn syrup.
I have issues with corn in all its forms, and Korean rice syrup and Lyle's golden syrup both sub well for corn syrup.
Golden Syrup will work too
Or you buy "glucose syrup" as manufacturers in the EU typically make theirs from grains other than corn.
Glen, don’t think we don’t appreciate long videos! I could watch for much longer, actually. Thank you!
And at least in the South where pecans are grown, it is “p’CAHN”, like you say it. NOT “PEEE-can”! For god’s sake! Haha.
Back in the mid 80's my Dad bought a turn of the century property in Irene, Texas. The front and side yard was covered with 5 different types of Pecan trees which the owners had grafted and planted some time during the 20's which I assume was for a 'Cash Crop'. I'm am sorry that I can't remember the variety of each tree and if I remember right he said they generally produced a useable size crop every other year but I do remember they were all very tasty.
I would have liked to have seen a closeup of the fillings.
Near the end Mrs. Glen sez that y'all tried making a 'faux apple pie' once; I seem to recall in Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" series of books where she recounts a particularly harsh winter, yet for Christmas her mother surprised them all with what Charles Ingalls (and Mr. Edwards) **swore** was an apple pie, but without giving out the entire recipe, Caroline mentions that there was cinnamon, vinegar, and **thinly sliced 'green' pumpkin**!! The ingenuity of the pioneers was paramount for their very survival, and I'm sure many 'shortcuts' were discovered during tougher times.....
I'll bet ma used apple cider vinegar in that pie. It would take the pumpkin from mild and bland to something much more interesting, and provide a hint of apple.
Jules is just in her happy place, eating pie! LOL!!
Pecan pie is a bit rich and Many people don't like it because of that. I prefer to use my own recipe, because of the adjustments, it's a little more custardy, and not so "gooey" in texture. And I use more pecans and back the sugar off. For comparison:
Karo Syrup pecan pie recipe:
1 Cup Karo syrup
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 T melted butter
1 t Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecans
MY recipe:
7/8 cup Karo syrup
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
4 T melted butter
2 cups pecans
So, as you see, my recipe has twice the melted butter, less sugar, and no vanilla. I serve it with unsweetened whipped cream to dilute the sweetness as well. My recipe dind't come from any cookbook, it's just using the Karo syrup recipe as the launch pad, and my grandma tweaked it to suit herself.
Ditto, what JayCarver4886 says. Thanks for sharing!
I don't care for pecan pie because of the intense sweetness, so your version might be better.
'The Settlement Cook Book' from 1943 calls for "white corn syrup" in Pecan Pie. However, the 'Woman's Home Companion Cook Book' 1944 edition has two Pecan Pie recipes - Pecan Pie and Economical Pecan Pie. Both call for "dark corn sirup'. The difference is no butter and less sugar in the economical version.
It might be a little outside the scope of your research, but my family puts pecans on our pumpkin pie. It kind of feels like a hybrid between the custard pecan pie and a pumpkin pie.
I make a pecan praline layer on my lower crust before I pour in the pumpkin mixture, then I put pecans on top when done. I think pecans go really well with pumpkin! 🥰
This! Gourmet magazine published a pie around 1990 in which a “pecan pie” custard layer was poured in first, then the pumpkin mixture was poured on top. But the pecan layer rose to the top during cooking. A most amazing pie!
I do a topping of chopped pecans, pretzel bits, dried cranberries, brown sugar and butter on my pumpkin pie when I want it to look extra festive.
@36:30
"Sometime that's what happens with pies.
No one say it has you have to wait, if you don't burn your mouth, it is acceptable"
No truer word has been said on TH-cam
This was very entertaining. I've never been a big fan of pecan pie, but your research and experiment were fascinating.
Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf- enjoy watching your videos. From Barrie Ontario!
I love hearing the evolution of recipes. It sometimes gives me ideas too. That’s one of the reasons I love your channel and you’re Canadian!!! 🇨🇦
Great video! My husband & I love to watch your Sunday morning cookbook shows -- they are ALWAYS so interesting and informative. I don't know if anyone else has this question about the 1925 pecan pie but we thought you were using apple cider vinegar. When you and Julie said it tasted like apple pie, we were pretty sure that's what it was. But in looking at your recipe, it just states "vinegar". Are we reading too much into the color of the vinegar or are we missing something? Thanks for all your research and hours spent testing the recipes.
I also had the same question RE: ACV
It's got to be almost entirely the apple cider aspect of his vinegar -- I caught that too. Interesting modification to the recipe; I wonder if plain white vinegar would have had the same kick or reaction from both Glen and Jules.
I love these history deep dive episodes.
would love to see more recipes from even older time period like 15-17th century stuff, that seems really interesting how they coocked things
I have cookbooks in my collection from the 1600s - for the most part the food is inedible (to today's taste), and many of the ingredients don't exist anymore or are hard to decipher because the language has changed so much.
What? There's no Library of Alexandria for cookbooks?!?
Thank you, Glen for the history lesson. Thank you, Antoine for giving us all the opportunity to taste the pecan.
Bravo! Love this episode! This is absolutely a phenomenal look at pecan pie. I agree about using sorghum, by the way. It is great with sorghum. Thank you for the tremendous amount of work you did to produce this episode.
I'm in Georgia..I love pecan pie & I have pecan trees.. but I'm doing Keto..arghghg. No *good* solutions.
I was in a grocery store the other day that had no pecan pies for me to just breathe near. Here, I should have been able to write some sort of citation.. it would be like not finding maple syrup in a grocery store in Canada.
I have nothing in print for this tidbit.
When I was in college, one of my roommates grew up on a working pecan farm in Mississippi.
The trees produce every other year.. off years, instead of pecan pies, they made "chess" pies.. same recipe.. no nuts. I think it was a buttermilk recipe.
My favorite savory custard pie is from Germany.. Zweible Kuchen.. an onion concoction, with bacon.
Thanksgiving dinner is a Keto free zone.
@@crawdaddct but but..if there's no keto allowed..nobody gets turkey..turkey is keto.
If ya drape some bacon over it in the last 15 minutes..it's even more keto
I do my best research at the end of a fork!
This episode has it all; history, delicious recipes, Glen’s mosh pit dance moves, (that arm grab!). I want a T-shirt that says, “ If you don’t burn your mouth, it’s
You inspired me to pull out my mom’s old cookbook (well used) and look up an older recipe. Going to make this and see how it comes out. It does call for scalded milk… which I am not clear what that does to the flavour. The cookbook is called The Modern Family Cook Book by Meta Given copyright 1953.
I'm 77. My mothers old cookbook (her favorite) which I rebound and restored, is "The American Family Cook Book" by Lily Wallace. Books Inc., New York 1952. It has 832 pages and there is a lot of stuff in it but really not old enough for Glen, otherwise I would send it to him.
My understanding is that scalding the milk has to do with raw milk and killing any 'bugs' that might be developing in it.
I have the same cookbook! But mine is copyright 1961. I treasure it!
I had no idea there were pecan pies without corn syrup! I'm making pecan pie for Thanksgiving this week, it's my favorite! Thanks for the history lesson!
Pecan Pie in Australia is made with golden syrup and brown sugar.
I love your deep dives into recipes and history.
A couple shots of Bourbon is all they need!!!!
Last night I made your 1925 pie for todays Thanksgiving dinner. We haven’t tasted it yet, but it’s beautiful!
I'm not a fan of the corn syrup version, but have been making the Texas Pie the last couple years (thanks to Tasting History) and am a convert. I'm keen to give the other pies a try as well, and look forward to future installments, should we all be so lucky.
I don't even bake, but this was an amazing episode! Very entertaining and informational. I think I might try to bake a pie this week. I hope I don't burn the house down. Thank you Glen and Julie!
I enjoy learning about food from you, Glen. You're great at it. And I appreciate all the work behind the scenes that go into these videos.
That was a great episode and a lot of historians would benefit from watching it as much as foodies. I love pecan pie and not I am inspired to experiment more.
I love the history you've discovered and talked about and the taste test at the end. More straight to the point cooking videos are good, too.
Love love LOVE this channel. History! Creative! Fun and giggles! Oh, yeah .. Food! 😊
I invented Pecan Pie
I love to eat them 🥧
I have checked my recipe book collection, and can find no earlier entries than yours. Most of mine are Canadian or English, so that is to be expected. When they show up in my grandmothers' recipe collections (one in Toronto, one in Montreal) from the 1930's on, , they list either dark corn syrup or Karo.
As far as the pronunciation of pecan is concerned, my mother did a road trip with friends in 1954, covering much of the Southern US states, including Georgia. She once ordered a slice of " Pea-can" pie, and was immediately corrected by the server. "Oh, honey - down here in Georgia, we say
Puh- khan!". As far as she was concerned, there definitely WAS a correct way to pronounce it!
To digress, what surprises me most in this video is that Harper's Bazaar used to be "Harper's Bazar" and run recipes, which aren't something typical in today's fashion magazines. I've enjoyed this interesting food history lesson, even though pecan pie isn't a thing here in Hong Kong.
Thanks for all the work that this video required. Not easy! Being in the UK, it's hard to find sweet pies. They tend to like cakes or savory pies more here. Pecan and pumpkin pies are sold at some bakeries, but often only in November (probably mostly for American expats). So I'm always looking for more ideas to bake them at home.
Are pecans difficult to get in the UK? They are ubiquitous in the Southern US
@@macharrington7733 You can get them, but mostly at specialty stores or, of course, the internet. If I went to most of the grocery stores around me, they definitely won't have them. So a pecan pie is even more rare and so is pumpkin pie. There is a bakery called Outsider Tart in London that makes both, but they cost GBP30! I brought a pumpkin pie to work (from another bakery) and everyone thought it was some sort of cheesecake at first. They are not used to these pies at all.
@@ericw4377if you, or someone you know, grows a dense, dry winter squash, like butternut (my favorite), or kabocha, "pumpkin" pie is very inexpensive to make. I whack the squash in half and clean it, put it cut side down in a baking pan, and bake until its soft. Scoop the flesh out of the shell, add milk or cream, sugar, eggs, and warm spices, and bake in a pie shell until it just stops wobbling in the center. Quick, easy, and inexpensive.
i watch for the stories and the history! Combined with the recipes and watching Julie's reaction to the recipe. All good.😄💯💫
The 1925 pie is very similar to the buttermilk pie that is very popular in the south USA! Great video! Great information! I appreciate the time you put in your research!
At 25:45 'What izz that" 🤣 and at 27:20 🤣
Glen, you're hilarious.
Awesome work - again mate 👍👍
This is a video that should be archived somewhere and saved for generations. As you said, research isn't perfect, and years into the future, it could help other people fill in gaps of knowledge when it comes to cooking history.
You should reallly try a pecan pie made with blue cane syrup... the flavor notes of blue cane are wonderful.
One other contributor to commercial pecan production was the scientific documentation that pecans require zinc in the soil to get a really decent yield from a pecan tree.
You can find mesh boxes strapped to the side of pecan trees with elemental zink chunks inside so zinc oxide slowly enrishes the soil around the tree with every rainstorm.
I love pecan pie and was great to get the history of how it changed over time. The 1922 version is my favorite but I’ll have to try the other versions too.
Glen, thank you so much for the history lesson! I so enjoyed it. I have to say that pecan pie is one of my favorites. I am from Georgia, and my maternal grandparents had a farm in rural Georgia and had pecan trees. So my memories of going to their house for Thanksgiving almost always included having to pick up the darn things from off the ground! While cotton was their main crop, at some point they did plant some pecan trees on the land, but only to have pecans for themselves. Great aunts and uncles and my great-grandparents also lived on adjacent farms, and all of them had a few pecan trees so they could all have pecans (and those trees are still producing, probably 100 years later). But, the ONLY type of pecan pie I have every known about used Karo syrup (and down here, we pronounce it like "KAY-roh" - but we pronounce "pecan" the same way you do where I'm from). Anyway, I was just fascinated to learn that some folks didn't use Karo syrup in their pie. I always appreciate your Old Cookbook Shop and the how and why that you share on your channel - thanks so much!
The pronunciation of Karo is interesting - it was named after the chemists wife Carol.
Another question, how did the bottom parts of these unbaked shells turn out with such a liquid filling? I always fear that the bottom part would remain raw.
Good point - I cooked these pies (as I now cook all pies) in a metal pie tin, on a pizza stone. This cooks the bottom of the pie to a really nice crisp texture. Historically (pre 1850 and into the 1930’s) you don’t really see any pie recipes that call for par / blind baking because ovens had a solid steel, stone, or brick base where pies were baked. When ovens started coming with wire racks / shelves and people started baking pies in glass pie plates the need to pre bake the shell became important.
From my experience, it’s never been an issue. A high sugar pie like pecan requires a long cook time so Therese’s plenty of time to cook the crust
Excellent, excellent, excellent video. Love the in depth history.
We have nut allergies in the family so we don't do Pecan Pie. Though I have seen recipes using rice krispies as a substitute. I am inspired, maybe this is the week to try one out.
Oatmeal is a good substitute for Pecans, it becomes it's own thing and really enjoy oatmeal pie dine in the sugar pie style
@@melanir7076ooo that would be good
Disappointing that I can only give this video one thumbs up and not multiple.So good.
Thank you for all your research! I love your videos!
Loved seeing the old Piggly Wiggly ad! Miss seeing them around.
Thank you for your work.
All sound awesome.
Thanks for this fascinating historical breakdown of my favorite pie!
love it! thank you so much for publishing this kind of research
I agree with Glen, I really don’t like raisins in things (like cookies, cinnamon rolls, etc.), but my mom had a recipe for raisin pie which I LOVED. I probably still have the recipe around, but I live alone so making a pie isn’t something I do often, either I have one slice and I’m done, and the rest of the pie goes to waste (or chicken food), or I eat the whole thing which generally does not bode well for my waistline.
I love this channel
Glad I’ve landed on your video. From Mississippi and love making pecan pies from pecan trees on our home place. Really enjoy the history behind the food.
Love this. Absolutely love everything about this: the history lesson, the demonstrations of the different pies, the pies themselves, the works. I could go for a series that did this kind of deep dive.
Thank you for your research.
I, too love the history. Great video!
I love your stories/history while you’re making food.
Oh what a fabulously interesting evolution of a recipe! more more more!!! :) Happy Holidays to you both!
Definitely going to try these!! Thank you!!!
A lot of people have pecan trees in their yards in Oklahoma where I live. Pecan pie is my dad's favorite kind of pie. I like it, too, but it's far from my favorite. I really like seeing these different variations and hearing about the history of them!
Very interesting! I think I would like the third (vinegar) pie the best, but the second one is probably what I’m used to.
I love your long videos packed with details. So interesting! Thank you for producing these so frequently.
Thanks for all the hard work in your research.
What a great episode. Thank you Glen. So fascinating.
I so enjoy your channel Glen. I love that you are from Ontario