I am not a cook but in honor of meeting some of my readers at my favorite book store, Hearthfire Books in Evergreen, CO, I made not one, but two vinegar pies.
The pioneers used to make vinegar pie on the trail because they had all of the ingredients right at hand as part of their supply stash. Its basically made of vinegar, flour, eggs, and sugar. Somehow the sugar and eggs override the vinegar taste and the result is a delicious custard pie that is not at all sour, but very sweet.
I will be curious to know if my readers who I will be meeting today will actually have the guts to taste the pie. I have mentioned the pie to several friends yesterday, and they have turned up their noses at the thought of it. Being an adventurer myself, I dove right into tasting it and it is delicious. Trust me and give it a try.
Here’s the recipe: Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
2 cups of cold water
4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of lemon extract (pioneers did not use-I added for flavor)
a dusting of cinnamon
Whisk together eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar in a bowl (keep this separate).
Whisk together flour and remaining sugar in a saucepan and add water and vinegar and bring to a boil, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Add to egg mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly.
Pour filling into saucepan and cook over moderate heat( do not boil),for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until filling coats the back of the spoon.
Add lemon extract and stir into the filling.
Pour hot filling into baked pie shell and bake for 15-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool for several hours in the refrigerator.
Enjoy!
In Prairie Journey, Savannah and her family enjoyed Vinegar Pie at their July 4th celebration at Independence Rock!
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