In the northern part of the United States, southern food is referred to as "soul food." And up North, "soul food" is mostly eaten by black people, since the majority of blacks have southern roots.
It wasn't until I began living in the South many years ago, that I realized "soul food" is what all people eat in the South (and rather than being called "soul food," it's just called food).
My husband, originally from upstate New York, moved to North Carolina with his family when he was about nine years old. He's a white guy, and although his mother didn't cook southern cuisine, he had his fill of it growing up on school cafeteria lunches.
Mr. McKenzie developed a taste for collard greens, something I've never liked that much. Needless to say, hubby feels a little short changed having married a black woman who doesn't cook greens!
I do, however, cook sweet potatoes, in case you haven't noticed! And I wouldn't be a real black woman if I couldn't bake a sweet potato pie! (Just kidding, but it sounded good for effect.)
White people above the Mason Dixon Line make pumpkin pies during the holiday season, but Southerners and black folks all over the U.S. bake sweet potato pies.
Today I'm sharing my friend Elaine's recipe. It's her grandmother's, and it makes the most delicious sweet potato pie I've ever tasted! Hope you like it too!
This is not a slimmed down version, so just promise to take a walk after eating. There's enough filling for two 10 inch pies--yum!
Sweet Potato Pie
6 medium sweet potatoes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup flour
2 t baking powder
dash of salt
1 to 1 1/2 t nutmeg
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 t vanilla
Bake sweet potatoes at 350 degrees until soft all the way through. When cool, remove from skins and mash. Add remaining ingredients, beat until smooth. Pour into 2 10 inch unbaked pie shells. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 350. Bake one hour more. Yield: 16 slices.
What's your favorite holiday pie?
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