Humble Pie on the Home Front - by Kimberly Grist

 

Food on the Home Front - Humble Pie 

Pioneers learned to alter food recipes according to their available resources. During the Civil War, people were introduced to the idea they could eat their horse's oats. When pecans were in short supply, oatmeal pie was a good substitute for southern pecan pie.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pie

4 eggs

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup light corn syrup (molasses was traditionally used)

1/8 to 1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs until frothy. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix well. Pour in corn syrup or molasses, melted butter and, vanilla. Mix oatmeal in by hand using a spoon or spatula. Pour into an uncooked pie shell. Bake for 40 45 minutes until the center is set. 

Shoo-Fly Pie

Shoo-Fly pie was another recipe created out of everyday food staples that were readily available. While researching my upcoming release, Shoo-fly Pie by Selah, I discovered some interesting information about its origination.

Origination

The origin of the recipe began in 1876 as Centennial Cake to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

 

Two Versions

The very nature of the main ingredient of sticky sweet molasses is enough to imagine why it might attract a fly or two that one would need to shoo. There are two versions of the recipe. The dry bottom pie is similar to a coffee cake and is guessed to be the original version. The wet bottom pie is baked in a pastry crust with a gooey cake-like bottom and a crumb streusel-like topping. 

Shoofly the Boxing Mule

The more likely explanation is shoofly pie was named after a brand of molasses popular in the 19th century. Shoofly molasses, Shoofly flour, and Shoofly horse powder were named after Shoofly, the Boxing circus mule that toured southeastern Pennsylvania in the late 19th century.

Coming Soon and Available for Pre-order!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09645C3MP

Selah Anderson agrees to participate in a matchmaking service organized by her pastor and the orphanage's matron, where she spent most of her life and become a mail-order bride. The man of her dreams will share her love of creating delicious confections and running a successful bakery. People will come for miles to purchase her specialty-shoo-fly pie.

Stagecoach driver Emerson Clark isn’t looking for love. But he knows life is better with a partner by your side- like a good team of horses supporting one another around the ruts in the road and along the narrow paths. As long as she’s practical, he’ll be happy.

Can his mail-order bride handle the diversity that comes with her husband’s dangerous vocation? Together will they blend their opposing desires to create a recipe for love?

About Kimberly Grist:

Kim has enjoyed writing since she was a young girl. However, she began writing her first novel in 2017, "Despite my best efforts, sometimes life just stinks. Bad things happen. I need and want an outlet, an opportunity to relax and escape to a place where obstacles are met and overcome." 

Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th -century will enjoy stories combining, History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good, Clean Fun. 

Connect with Kimberly:

Sign up for my newsletter

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimberly-grist
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FaithFunandFriends/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GristKimberly
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Grist/e/B07H2NTJ71