Peace of Pie

The lyrics to Paul Simon’s song “Peace like a river” run through my mind in a continuous loop. The lazy Magnolia river flows in front of the cottage and from my rocking chair I’m barely aware of the sounds of birds and the distant chatter of children playing on the other side of the river. The promise of peace, quiet and a good book hang in the heavy South Alabama air. But peace is not in my future…at least not today…unless I buy it with a piece of pie.

My nephew Todd, age 11, wants to cook and will not be dissuaded or pacified with the promise of a future cooking date – like tomorrow. We thumb through the only cookbooks we can find in the cottage by the river and Todd proposes a menu that makes me tired. Wanting to take full advantage of my weekend visit, he decides we should make hamburgers, baked beans, spicy cheese dip, roasted potatoes and Key Lime Pie. He is most adamant about the pie. I forgot the State Department mantra “never negotiate with a terrorist.” I negotiate and I lose. His only concession is that I can purchase the graham cracker pie crust.

A long afternoon of cooking melts into evening and the tiny kitchen is filled with our creations, ready to share with the other seven people we call family. Once again I try to postpone the pie so we’ll have something to do “tomorrow”. Once again I’m denied. The sharp, fresh smell of lime filled the cottage as he learned to use a zester. He squeezed the limes with delight as he mastered the juicer. Todd experienced for the first time the sweet, seductive taste of condensed milk. I wisely decided to separate the eggs myself. When the eggs were whisked and the ingredients mixed, all by his hand, we poured the mixture into the store-bought graham cracker crust and stared at the oven door, counting down 20 minutes on the timer. Our pie was magnificent and because we didn’t have a mixer --and I was too tired to whisk meringue by hand-- he proposed Cool Whip for the top.

The baked beans were a big success, as were the hamburgers we had infused with pickle juice and steak seasonings. There wasn’t a morsel of roasted potatoes left in the bowl. And the pie was pure heaven , placed in front of my young cook for all the family to admire. It was the perfect pie and one of life’s perfect moments. I found the peace I sought…with a boy, a pie, and a family gathered round to share the joy. And the river rolled by.

Key Lime Pie with Meringue Topping
From The Deen Brothers Cookbook by Jamie and Bobby Dean
who got the recipe from the Blond Giraffe in Key West, Florida

Makes 8 servings

FILLING:
5 large egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
½ cup heavy cream
1 prepared 9” graham cracker crust

MERINGUE:
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and condensed milk. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and cream. Pour the filling into the crust and bake about 20 minutes or until firm. Remove pie from oven. Increase the oven temperature to 350°.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form (tips curl). In a second bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the sugar mixture, a little at a time to the egg whites, beating between additions. Continue to beat until the sugar dissolves. Spoon the meringue over the hot pie filling. Bake for 10-12 minutes more or until the meringue is golden. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.