Pie Means I Love You

My great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother were all great pie makers. Each generation has taken great care in passing on the skills and secretes of making great pies. One of my favorite memories is of my mother holding my hand in hers as she demonstrated exactly how much water to add while making pie dough.

Lemon meringue pie was one the pies I loved to make with my mother. This recipe comes from my grandmother Mae Copenhagen.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 ½ cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 ½ cup water
4 eggs, separated
3 tbsp. butter
½ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. lemon zest
¼ tsp. cream of tartar
½ cup sugar

Make and bake a one-crust pie shell. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water gradually. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly. Beat a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Then, beat back into the pan and boil one minute more. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Add the butter, lemon juice and rind. Pour into a baked pie shell. To make meringue, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat. Add the sugar a little at a time while beating until stiff and glossy. Pile meringue onto filling, being careful to seal the edges. Bake at 400. For approximately 5 minutes. Watch it…