Chess Pie

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Fri Jun 1 04:05:56 UTC 2001


DARE--first cite for "chess pie" is 1932.

John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK--
   The origin of the name has escaped a definitive answer.  Some believe it may be a derivation of "cheese pie," although traditional chess pies do not contain cheese of any kind.  (...)("Chest pie" and "It's jes' pie" are also described--ed.)
   The earliest printed reference to the pie was in a cookbook published by the Fort Worth Women's Club in 1928.

   1928?  1932?
   As I've posted here, I found "chess cake" in 1882.  Mrs. D. A. Lincoln's BOSTON COOKING SCHOOL COOK BOOK (1884)has "chess pie."  No scholar could possibly miss this book--a classic in the field.  (THAT'S IT!  I'M DOUBLING MY FEE!)
   Of all of the theories, the game of chess makes no sense.  "It's jes' pie" is a folk answer that's surely wrong.
   "Cheese pie" is good on the "egg cream" (no eggs, no cream) theory.  Yes, the pie has no cheese, but maybe that's why the name was changed!
   "Chest pie" is my second choice, but the reason for the name change wouldn't make as much sense.
   I could do a comprehensive cookbook search for "chess pie" and compare it with the other pies listed, but I'd have to triple my fee for that.



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