CHAPTER 4
I have researched pie all over the country and in Canada, and I can tell you that people in the South have a deep long-standing relationship with pie. It’s not just a crush, it’s true love.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, author of Killer Pies
The patchwork of geographic diversity of the South—from the bayous and swamps to the mountains and oceans—has one binding trait: summer is hot, so eating lighter and keeping cool is an annual pastime. Summer food is an important part of the ritual, even in today’s air-conditioned South, where the days of sipping mint juleps under the magnolia tree are long gone—well, for the most part.
A cool, no-bake pie is a manageable temptation on long, hot days. With just the right puff of texture and flavor, a slice of icebox pie is still a light and tasty way to end the day. No-bake recipes were popular during the Great Depression, when Mildred Rowe came of age. Perhaps that’s why she delighted in these pies. Even as technology progressed and America became electrified, large chunks of rural America still didn’t have electricity, let alone refrigerators, so food was often kept cool in a root cellar, springhouse, or icebox—the latter lending its name to these cool pies. But keeping frozen treats like ice cream cold enough was impossible except in wintertime, or if the family had an icehouse, which was an expensive structure. And, of course, freezing temperatures in the wintertime aren’t a given in much of the South, as they are in Virginia’s Appalachia, with its cold and snowy winters.
Mike DiGrassie remembers eating a cold treat in the middle of winter: snow “ice cream.” He didn’t know he was participating in an old custom, probably stretching back to ancient China, of using natural ice and snow to make cold refreshments and keep them cold. “We gathered the snow and mixed it with vanilla and sugar, and sometimes a little milk. It was so good and so simple,” Mike says.
Not so simple, however, is the delectable treat of ice cream pie. At one time it was considered chic, since only those with freezers and time on their hands could make it. Even today, with all of our modern conveniences, our recipe tester, Kate Antea, says that the ice cream pie recipe “is an exercise in time management.” But for ice cream lovers it’s an effort worth making, just for that refreshing explosion of flavors and textures, setting tongues to quiver.
This section offers pies at both ends of the time spectrum, from easily whipped-up concoctions like the Make-Your-Own-Flavor Chiffon Pie to the Layered Ice Cream Pie. But all have one thing in common—they’re a delicious way to cool off on hot summer days.
Most of these pies are too delicate to withstand the hectic rigors of the restaurants. They’re fragile and not easy to keep on hand, so they aren’t served at Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants on a daily basis, though they are sometimes offered on special occasions like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and various holidays. But summer in the South begs for light, cold, and sweet refreshments, and Mrs. Rowe and her family often indulged in cold or icy pie, so we’ve included a selection of favorites in this cookbook.
In the 1960s and 1970s, before the days of complicated alarm systems, Mrs. Rowe developed a reliable antitheft system with her pie. All the local police officers and state troopers who worked the night shift knew there was a free slice of pie waiting for them at break time—close to closing time at the restaurant. It worked out well. There was always a police presence at closing time, which made her feel safe, and it appealed to Mrs. Rowe’s sense of thriftiness—it proved to be a great way to make use of leftover pie at the end of the evening.
Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
Smooth, firm, and creamy, this pie is naturally a lovely shade of pink, so you need not add the food coloring unless you want a deeper color. After 6 hours in the freezer, it’s sliceable but still soft. Left overnight, it’s firm but still creamy—a little piece of strawberry heaven.
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, baked
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
⅔ cup frozen strawberry daiquiri mix, thawed
2 tablespoons light rum
1 to 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 cup whipped topping, thawed according to package directions
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually pour in the milk and continue beating until smooth. Stir in the daiquiri mix and rum, and the food coloring if you like. Fold in the whipped topping.
Pour the filling into the crust and freeze for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
The icy strawberry filling in this pie is pleasantly complemented by the luscious whipped cream. The pie tastes just like a margarita—the tequila flavor adds quite a zing. The recipe calls for freezing the whipped cream on top of the pie, but you can also freeze just the strawberry part and add the whipped cream when you serve the pie.
1 recipe Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked and chilled
1 (20-ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup tequila
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups heavy cream
In food processor or blender, puree the strawberries with the ¾ cup sugar, the tequila, and the lime juice. Transfer to a bowl.
Beat ½ cup of the cream with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a wire whisk, fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture. Pour half the strawberry mixture into the crust. Cover the pie and the remaining filling with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours.
Remove the plastic wrap and spread the remaining filling over the frozen pie, mounding it slightly in the center. Freeze for about 2 hours or overnight, until firm.
Combine the remaining 1½ cups cream and the 2 tablespoons sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high to high speed until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the frozen pie and return it to the freezer until ready to serve.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
Fresh watermelon is a summertime treat throughout the South, where the melons can be seen sprawled in many backyard gardens. These days, watermelon can be bought almost any time of year at most grocery stores. This pretty pink pie makes a spectacular offering at a special brunch.
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, baked
1 (3-ounce) package watermelon gelatin
¼ cup boiling water
12 ounces whipped topping, thawed according to package directions
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water in a small bowl. Let cool to room temperature, then whisk in the whipped topping until completely blended. Drain off any watermelon liquid that has seeped out, then fold the watermelon cubes into the filling.
Spoon the filling into the crust and chill for 2 to 3 hours or overnight before slicing.
According to Sook’s Cookbook: Memories and Traditional Receipts from the Deep South, by Marie Rudisill, there is an old superstition in the South that one should save the pointed tip of a slice of pie for the last bite.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
Stephen Harriman, a writer for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, says, “For some reason, I was expecting the peanut pie to be a pecan pie look-alike. Instead it looked more like a lemon meringue or banana cream pie. If you like peanuts smooth, you’ll love this.”
1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust, baked
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup whole milk
9 ounces whipped topping or 2⅓ cups Sweetened Whipped Cream
¼ cup finely chopped salted peanuts
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and peanut butter and continue mixing, then slowly pour in the milk and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the filling evenly in the crust, top with the whipped topping, and sprinkle with the peanuts.
Freeze for at least 1 hour, until firm, before slicing. Don’t try to wrap the pie in plastic wrap until it’s frozen firm.
When I moved here about thirteen years ago, all I heard is that I needed to go to Mrs. Rowe’s to try the pie. I thought people were crazy—restaurant pie is never good. But it turned out the pie was good and reminded me of my mother’s homemade pie.
—Eileen Reed, customer
MAKES ONE DEEP-DISH 10-INCH PIE
Mudd Pie is a rich treat that’s fun to make; you simply can’t go wrong with it! It’s a fun kitchen activity for children, too, and they love to eat the results.
1 recipe Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked in a deep 10-inch pie plate and chilled
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
⅔ cup marshmallows
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 quart coffee ice cream
½ cup chopped walnuts
Set the ice cream out to soften.
Combine the chocolate chips, marshmallows, and milk in a small saucepan. When the milk begins to steam, start stirring and continue until the chips and marshmallows are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool.
Spoon half of the ice cream into the crust, cover with half of the chocolate mixture, then repeat the layers. Top with the walnuts. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before serving.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
According to Retro Desserts, by Wayne Brachman, this recipe dates back to the 1950s and was developed by a company that makes crème de menthe. Other recipes use a filling more like a Key lime pie, but made with mint. This version is mildly minty and has a texture like frozen cream. It’s a pretty, delicate shade of green even without the food coloring.
1 recipe Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked and chilled
¾ cup whole milk
24 large marshmallows (just over 6 ounces)
¼ cup crème de menthe
2 tablespoons white crème de cacao
1 to 2 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, then add the marshmallows and continue to cook and stir until the marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until lukewarm.
Add the liqueurs and mix well, then stir in a drop or two of green food coloring if you like. Fold in the whipped cream.
Spread the filling in the crust and freeze for 3 or 4 hours, until firm, before slicing.
MAKES ONE 10-INCH PIE
This recipe appeared in the restaurant’s self-published cookbook, which notes that you should “serve only to those who truly appreciate dessert and won’t complain about calories.” This pie reminds me of a quote from Chocolat, the movie based on the book by Joanne Harris: “It melts ever so slightly on your tongue and tortures you with pleasure.”
1¼ cups crushed plain chocolate cookies (without icing or filling)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ to 1 cup Caramel Sauce
1 quart chocolate ice cream, softened
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
6 (1.4-ounce) Heath bars or toffee-flavored candy bars, crushed
¾ to 1 cup Chocolate Sauce
1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the cookie crumbs and butter and mix well. Firmly and evenly press the mixture over the bottom of a 3-inch-deep 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, until it’s no longer warm to the touch.
Spread the caramel sauce over the cooled crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Freeze for about 30 to 60 minutes, until set.
Spread the chocolate ice cream over the caramel sauce in an even layer, then freeze for about for 30 to 60 minutes, until firm. (Freezing time depends on the quality of the ice cream and the freezer temperature.)
Combine the vanilla ice cream and crushed candy bars. Spread over the chocolate ice cream in an even layer, then freeze for about 30 minutes, until firm.
Spread a thin layer of chocolate sauce evenly over the vanilla ice cream, then freeze for about 30 minutes, until firm.
Spread the coffee ice cream over the chocolate sauce in an even layer, then return to the freezer for about 30 to 60 minutes, until firm. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours before slicing.
Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving. Remove the springform pan sides, and slice into 12 wedges. If you like, serve additional caramel and chocolate sauce on the side.
This pie will take about 4 hours to make. While one layer is freezing, the next ice cream is out softening, and a sauce can be made and cooled. My suggestion is to start by making the caramel sauce (which can be done a day ahead). While the sauce cools, make the crust. While the caramel is freezing, take the chocolate ice cream out to soften. When the chocolate layer goes in to freeze, take out the vanilla ice cream to soften and chop the candy bars. When the vanilla layer goes in to freeze, make and cool the chocolate sauce. When the chocolate sauce layer goes in to freeze, take out the coffee ice cream to soften.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH DEEP-DISH PIE OR ONE 10-INCH REGULAR PIE
This recipe was in Mrs. Rowe’s self-published cookbook, Mrs. Rowe’s Favorite Recipes, which is no longer in print. A note at the bottom of the page gives low-fat options, like using low-fat cream cheese and margarine. Give it a whirl if you like, but you’d be missing out on the true-blue flavor of this pie. The coconut and pecans will need close attention while toasting; don’t let their heavenly smell distract you. In fact, they continue to cook for a minute or so after being removed from the heat, so stop cooking them just before they look the way you want them to—golden brown and crunchy. Try the Chocolate Cookie Crust for contrast, or the Gingersnap Crust to cut the sweetness.
½ recipe Plain Pie Pastry or Vinegar Pie Crust, prebaked
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⅓ cups sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed according to package directions
¾ cup Caramel Sauce or store-bought caramel topping
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut and pecans and cook, stirring gently and frequently, until lightly browned.
Combine the cream cheese and milk and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped topping, then pour half of the mixture into the crust. Warm the caramel in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir; this will make drizzling easier. Drizzle half of the caramel over the filling, and then sprinkle with about half of the coconut-pecan mixture. Repeat with another layer of filling, then caramel sauce, then coconut and pecans.
Cover the pie with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours. Let the pie stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing.
MAKES TWO 9-INCH PIES
This pie offers a classic smooth texture and can feature any flavor you like. Here are a few suggestions: Try orange gelatin with pineapple juice, grape gelatin with grape juice, or raspberry gelatin with raspberry juice. It’s a perfect light summer dessert, especially with complementary fresh fruit on the side.
2 recipes Graham Cracker Crust, baked
2 cups fruit juice
1 (3-ounce) package flavored gelatin
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces whipped topping, thawed according to package directions
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Heat 1 cup of the juice and gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add the milk, whipped topping, lemon juice, and the remaining 1 cup fruit juice and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Divide the filling evenly between the 2 crusts, then refrigerate overnight before slicing.
