Melody's Pecan Pie

Enjoying a classic Civil Rights era treat!

Pecan pies have always been something of a mystery to me, as they're completely not my family's tradition when it comes to baked goods. Admittedly, maybe that shouldn't come as a shock: they are, after all, pretty iconically a southern food, and my family has lived in different parts of New England since they immigrated here. 

But because pecan pie is such a staple of southern comfort food, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it would have been a popular treat among Civil Rights leaders and activists. Soul food was an important part of the movement, as African Americans encouraged members of their community to embrace and celebrate their heritage by cooking things like collared greens. Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite dessert was reportedly pecan pie, and so it seemed like a perfect choice for our Melody recipe this February. Read on to find out how to make a historic version of the pie in your own kitchen!

During the Civil Rights movement, activists pushed to find new ways to elevate and celebrate Black culture and history. They - rightly so - wanted to show people that Black culture was unique, special, and something to be proud of. Soul food was an important part of this, and many activists fondly remember being well fed at Black owned businesses like Paschal's in Atlanta, Georgia, chowing down on treats like catfish, collared greens, and mac and cheese. 

Pecan pie was reportedly one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite desserts, and considering Melody got to see the man in person, it felt fitting to think she might be inspired to try making his favorite food herself. 

Pecan pie can likely trace its early roots to New Orleans, where it was reportedly developed soon after early French settlers were introduced to pecans by the local Native communities. The pie was originally made with molasses or other dark sugars, and thus predates the invention of corn syrup. By the midcentury, recipes for pecan pie adorned bottles of Karo syrup, and the recipe I tried out is their 1952 version. 

To make the filling, you combine two beaten eggs, 1 cup of dark KARO Syrup, 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine in a bowl. Once it's well mixed, add in 1 cup of whole pecans. Pour the mixture into a nine inch pie pan which has been lined with pastry. The pie then bakes in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, and then about 35 minutes in a 350 oven. 

Now, having never made a pecan pie before, I did make something of a crucial error: I used a frozen pie crust. This is apparently a big no no, because the extra moisture from thawing out the pie crust in the oven means the filling won't set the way its supposed to. I hate making pie crust, so I I've taken to using frozen, but I think in the future, I'm going to try this out with fresh pie dough. My pie took about 40 minutes longer to set up, and while it fortunately didn't burn, I was definitely worried the whole way through. 

With all due respect to the Reverend King, I'm really not a fan of pecan pie. It's too sweet, so I tend to get overwhelmed after a bite or two. This pie was no different, but it did score well with my coworkers who are bigger fans of this iconic dessert, so I guess I did something right! It's also a really basic recipe that did make a good filling, so I'd absolutely recommend it if you're curious about trying it out yourself. If you aren't lazy like me and stay away from the frozen pie crusts, you'll probably end up with a treat you could have proudly served to MLK and his colleagues. And wouldn't that be cool?

Maybe Melody and Val should bring one to the next march!