Check and Mate

Have I mentioned yet that this upcoming Saturday is National Pie Day? I may have.

I baked a chess pie today, and it was everything I dreamed it would be. The last time I had chess pie was at a Furr's on the east side of Topeka in September of 2001. It was a rainy day. Anyone who knows me won't be shocked that I remember this. We are talking about pie, after all.

This is the recipe I followed, the pseudo-official Luby's Buttermilk Chess Pie recipe, and it's so simple even I can make it without disaster ensuing:

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 extra-large eggs

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

1 unbaked 9" pie shell

Heat oven to 375°F.

In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and flour. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk, vanilla and salt. Mix just until blended. Do not overmix.

Pour into pie shells.Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Do not overbake. Makes one 9" pie, I had some extra filling left over so you could probably use a deep-dish crust.

It is a thing of beauty, both in appearance and taste. I highly recommend it.