lemonpieslice
In 1774 Ann Lee, better known as Mother Ann, emigrated from Europe to New York with the first members of the “Shaking Quakers,” a religious group known for their lively worship and prayer services.
Shakers were disciplined, devoted, hard-working people who valued frugality and simplicity. Known for their furniture craftsmanship, music and avant-garde approach to agriculture, they experienced much economic success.
Throughout the 1800s the Shakers attracted over 20,000 converts spread over 20 settlements. But because of their strict belief in celibacy, the community of 20,000 dwindled, and by 1920 only 12 Shaker communities withstood. Today, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in Maine is the only active Shaker Community.
Here in central Kentucky we are incredibly fortunate to have our own historical Shaker landmark. Less than 30 miles from Lexington, on 2,900 acres of farmland, sits one of the finest memorials to the Shaker way of life in America, Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. The 34 preserved, original 19th-century buildings, meticulously kept grounds, walking trails, inn and restaurant even have Martha Stewart singing its praises.
And seven days a week in the Trustee Dining Hall at Pleasant Hill, a sweet slice of that tradition can be enjoyed: Shaker Lemon Pie.
The Ohio branch of the Shaker community stake claim to this pie’s development in the early 1800s when lemons were shipped up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, then over to Cincinnati via the Ohio River. At that time, a crate of lemons were said to have cost the equivalent of $200 in today’s economy. Because of their frugality, Shakers believed it was a sin to waste food and consequently developed a lemon pie recipe using the entire lemon, rind and all. The Shaker Lemon Pie was born.
Shaker Lemon Pie is a tricky recipe at best. The original recipe calls for macerating the thinly sliced lemons in sugar and letting them sit for 24 hours to draw out the lemons’ bitterness. Today’s recipes have tried to accommodate busy lifestyles by cutting the sugar steeping time down significantly, which unfortunately doesn’t work and leaves the pie with a bitter, pithy, tough result. This recipe from Cooks Country (www.cookscountry.com) is one I use with excellent results. Its proven scientific baking principles produce a great tasting pie with minimal time and effort.
Shaker Lemon Pie
Ingredients:
• 3 lemons
• 2 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 2 unbaked pie dough shells (homemade or store bought)
Directions:
1. Freeze the lemons for 30 minutes until firm. Using a serrated knife, slice lemons very thinly, tossing the ends.
2. Place a strainer over a bowl and begin removing the seeds from the lemon slices over the strainer. Squeeze the juice out of each lemon slice and place them in a saucepan. Repeat with all remaining lemon slices. Reserve the lemon juice collected in the bowl.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the saucepan with the lemon slices and boil for 5 minutes until the lemons are soft. Remove, strain and press the lemon juice through a strainer into a bowl. Toss the liquid (this is the bitter liquid from the rind).
4. Put the strained lemons, sugar, salt and 4 tablespoons of the reserved lemon juice into a mixing bowl. Stir.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the remaining lemon juice. Whisk. Add in the eggs and whisk until smooth. Add the sugar-lemon mixture and pour into a chilled, unbaked pie shell.
6. Brush the rim of the bottom crust with cream (this will act as a glue between both crusts) and gently place the top crust over the pie. Pinch the top and bottom crusts together and fold under. Flute the edges.
7. Brush cream over the entire top of the pie crust and cut 4 slits in the top.
8. Bake the pie on the lower part of the oven for 20 minutes at 425 degrees. After 20 minutes, lower the temperature to 375 degrees and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
9. Remove and cool for at least one hour.