The Lemon Meringue Pie
My attempt at making a Lemon Meringue Pie from the Kentucky Hospitality: A 200-year Tradition cookbook proved I have more to learn.
In Kentucky Hospitality, the page for the “Old Fashioned Lemon Pie” recipe was dog-eared; my mom likely made this recipe as this was her cookbook. The recipe listed the ingredients and directions but not step-by-step instructions. Also, the recipe lacked ingredients I know mom used like cream of tartar. But I remained committed to preparing this dessert as written.
Kentucky Hospitality is a cookbook filled with recipes and a history of the cultures that influenced the cuisine of the Bluegrass state, the Shakers, English, Native Americans, and enslaved Africans. I have roots in Kentucky; my father was born and raised in Owensboro. The cuisine etched in my memory includes barbeque mutton; ribs or pulled. We’d always stop at the Moonlight Restaurant to eat mutton when we arrived on one of our yearly family trips to Dad’s hometown.
As I began making this pie, I realized I did not know if I was doing this right. I became impatient. I thought, “How long do I need to beat the egg whites for the best stiff peaks in my meringue?” “Should the filling thicken on the stove, or while in the pie shell?” Kentucky Traditions does not provide detailed instructions for a first-time lemon meringue pie maker like me.
Vintage Cookbooks like Kentucky Traditions include recipes authored by experienced cooks, socialites, or maids. They knew what to look for to make the perfect dessert.
Later, I checked a Lemon Meringue Pie recipe in The Joy of Cooking Cookbook. As suspected, Joy listed step-by-step instructions and ingredients I saw my mother use. I could have consulted this cookbook, but I decided not to.
Isn’t that like our lives? We know what we want out of life but lack detailed directions on how to get there. We become impatient when life is not giving us what we want when we want it. My mother surely made this recipe with no problem. She was an experienced cook who knew steps to take that were not written. Maybe she learned from making mistakes or learning from her grandmother. Life doesn’t come with a “how-to” manual. However, we can learn to lean on people in our circles who are rich in wisdom to help us navigate life’s journey. The older I get, the more I realize the importance of asking for help from those trusted individuals.
So, as I look at my pie with an unsettled pudding without a “mile-high” meringue, I am reminded to seek help when I need it. There is no harm in doing so when you don’t know how to achieve a perfect lemon pie or the desired outcome of a situation.