Themes - Gracious and Good, No Food Left Behind
Food/Tech Tie In – Custard Based Pie Filling
Homage - Greeting Card from the 80’s
Sweet Potato Pie is every warm hug, encouraging word and do right nudge I have ever received from my grandmother Esther aka Nana. Not sure I paid a great deal of attention to what she was doing post putting on her green print apron with gold rick rack and pulling out the mixer, but I know I was all in when it came to getting my slice. Not that it needed anything else, but there was always a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or dare I say it…Non-Dairy Whip Cream to “go with”. No shade to the Non-Dairy Whip Cream fans cause we were all in as kids but…insert side eye HERE.
Whether the sweet potatoes were purchased specifically for pie, were left over from those boiled for candied yams, or baked to be split and adorned with butter…when they made their way into the mixing bowl with eggs, sugar, flavorings and wait for it…evaporated milk (it was a thing in our family, and is still a thing for me, cause my pantry is not complete without it), I, we, ‘erbody knew, no matter what else was going on, there was going to be something soo good, soo satisfying, coming our way.
So no surprise that I love Sweet Potato Pie. And while the other “shall remain nameless pie made of an orange rind squash that gets a lot of play PAR-TIC-CU-ARLY at the advent of Fall”, has made an appearance or two at a holiday dinner, namely Thanksgiving, it was never the only option. As while we didn’t give grown folks side eye back in the day (cause the taste would have been exorcised from your mouth…ya’ll know what Im talking about😉😬), displeasure would have been aptly communicated…as in “What!?! No Sweet Potato Pie!?!”….big inflection at the end.
Over the years, amongst friends and extended family, there has been debate about which is better, Sweet Potato Pie or The Gourd. Typically is doesn’t lead to too much cussin….cause we all know…Anybody Who's Ever Had Sweet Potato Pie really don’t want Pumpkin again. Oops I said it. Well, actually…Al Jarreau my favorite singer said it. He wrote a song about it on his Album “We Got By”…for real, check it out.
All kidding aside (not really), be it with friends or family, Sweet Potato Pie is that needed warmth, that story, that hug. Be it from your Grandmother, a Friend or in my case Father (cause he could COOK), it brings with it all the cinnamon nutmeg feels of something familiar yet special in its own right, cause it was made with and shared with….LOVE.
It gives me all the feels to put this recipe out there in the universe. I have made it soooo many times over the years that folks have attributed it to me but the original recipe emanated from a greeting card I received many sweet potatoes ago. For however it came to me, I now, pass it on to you.
From HereInMyKitchen to yours, enjo
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