During this time of quarantine, we are bringing you simple bake-along recipes from The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Cookery that can be cooked on a woodstove, like we do here at the center, or on your home oven. In these videos, we’ll give you tips and tricks for using up what’s in your pantry and how to get creative!

“It Still Lives”, The Foxfire Podcast, featuring Aunt Arie Carpenter

Custard Pie

Annie Long

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

1 unbaked pie shell

 Mix eggs with sugar and salt. Gradually add milk and nutmeg or cinnamon. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325°F and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until done. Pie is best served with a meringue. Yield: 6–8 servings (depends on your generosity!)

Annie Long’s pie crust recipe:

1 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

5 tablespoons lard

4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

 Sift and then measure the flour. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Work in lard with fingers or fork. Stir in ice water. Roll out on a floured board or cloth and make into pie crust. If crust needs baking before pouring in filling, bake in a 425°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes.

The recipe recommends serving with meringue. Try this foolproof recipe out!

Never-Fail Meringue

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

½ cup boiling water

3 egg whites

6 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan. Add boiling water and cook until clear and thickened. Let cool completely. Beat egg whites with an electric beater at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Add salt and vanilla, then gradually add cornstarch mixture and beat well until stiff peaks form. Spread over cooled pie filling. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. This is a beautiful meringue which cuts smoothly and does not leak.

Don’t have materials for pastry on hand? You can always bake this custard Aunt Arie-style and use your go-to biscuit recipe as a the base!

Aunt Arie’s Egg Custard (Cooked on a Wood Stove)

Aunt Arie Carpenter

1 recipe biscuit dough

1 egg, well beaten

1 cup milk

Handful of flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup sugar

 Line a small pie pan with plain biscuit dough rolled thin. In a separate bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients and pour it into the crust, using just a little wood so the fire won’t be too hot. Bake it slowly until it “sets.” It will “blubber up”—or bubble—and then the bubbles will settle.