After my blog last week my husband and son went out and picked some apples from North Georgia. They brought home several varieties and we turned them into a delicious apple crisp (my apple crisp recipe that isn't even an apple crisp!). I was enjoying it hot and bubbling out of the oven, and thinking about how much I love fall desserts, and that I was looking forward to Thanksgiving dinner with all the yummy desserts. THEN I thought, hey! A few years ago I did a series on Christmas cookies, why the heck not do a series on Thanksgiving desserts. Buckle up people, we're talking about that nutty favorite: Pecan Pie!

I love pecans. LOVE THEM. My father-in-law has several pecan trees in his yard. So we have an endless supply of fresh pecans. Yay! I love eating pie, but I am not a pie baker (LOVE me some cakes, and I can bake cakes like nobody's business). Nope, I tried making apple pie once, and it was a disaster. I also cannot make mashed potatoes, but otherwise I'm a fairly good cook. But, I digress. Back to pecan pie. I have not even attempted to make pecan pie. Let's take a look at the history of pecan pie, and figure out how it made its way to our Thanksgiving dessert tables. 

Many people know that our current traditional Thanksgiving meal doesn't resemble the first Thanksgiving meal back in 1621, so it should come as no surprise to find out that pecan pie was NOT on the menu 397 years ago. When did pecan pie burst onto the scene? Well, it's really not clear based on historical evidence. If we start with the humble pecan.

If we step out of the kitchen and into the field, we find out that archaeologist had discovered that Native Americans were using pecans 8,000 years ago. Even the word pecan is of Native American origin (thank you to the Algonquin tribe for the name!). If pecans have been used for this incredible length of time, then surely pecan pie must have a long and storied history, right? That would be a hard- nope. 

The first solid evidence for the existence of pecan pie is fairly recent in the history of food. In 1886, February 6th to be exact, Harper's Bazaar, printed the earliest known reference to pecan pie:

"Is not only delicious, but is capable of being made a 'real state pie,' as an enthusiastic admirer said. The pecans must be very carefully hulled, and the meat thoroughly freed from any bark or husk. When ready, throw the nuts into boiling milk, and let them boil while you are preparing a rich custard. Have your pie plates lined with a good pastry, and when the custard is ready, strain the milk from the nuts and add them to the custard. A meringue may be added, if liked, but very careful baking is necessary."
---"Pecan Pie," Harper's Bazaar, February 6, 1886 (p. 95) 

Not quite a fully formed recipe, but there it is! While there is no hard evidence for pecan pie earlier than this, there are claims that pecan based desserts and candies were created by the French after the settled the area around New Orleans, Louisiana (early in the 1700s). While the French settlers may have invented the sweet pecan dessert, there is just no proof. It seems that most modern food historians believe that pecan pie is a 20th century invention, and that it is deeply entrenched in southern traditional cooking. After some recipes published in the late 1800s, the next boom for pecan pie was in the 1940s when recipes appeared in Fannie Farmer and The Joy of Cooking. 

Many people associate pecan pie with the Karo Corn Syrup brand. It is true that Karo really popularized the pecan pie as we know it today (as well as many of its variants), and it claims that pecan pie was a discovery of a new use for corn syrup in 1930. However, the recipes for pecan pie before this do not include corn syrup! So there are plenty of recipes for pecan pie without the corn syrup. In fact, I thought it would fun to share one of these recipes! 

I was hoping to find a fully fleshed out older recipe with actual amounts AND cooking temperature or time. I was able to find plenty of modern recipes, but I was really hoping to find something from the days BEFORE corn syrup. I did hit on a significant clue; the 1929 Congressional Cookbook allegedly includes a recipe for pecan pie using pecans, eggs, sugar, and milk -no syrup. Unfortunately, I could not find the full recipe online, nor a copy of the book. Sad day. 

The best I could find from the pre-corn syrup days is from one of my favorite sources- The Food Timeline. This fantastic website shared a recipe from 1898. It was originally printed in Ladies Home Journal, but was found reprinted in the Goshen Daily Democrat, on November 26, 1898 (fun fact, I looked it up, this was two days after Thanksgiving that year!). Without further ado, here is the recipe (without out a cooking temperature I'm afraid). 

"Texas Pecan Pie.
One cup of sugar, one cup of sweet milk, half a cup of pecan kernels chopped fine, three eggs and a tablespoonful of flour. When cooked, spread the well-beaten whites of two eggs on top, brown, sprinkle a few of the chopped kernels over. These quantities will make one pie.--Ladies' Home Journal." --Goshen Daily Democrat, [IN] November 26, 1898 (p. 6)

I have to admit, I am very intrigued by the idea of a meringue on the top of pecan pie! But wait, I have more to offer you! Many of you know that Scott has a fantastic cookbook (Lunch is Ready!), and he offers three different pecan pie recipes, including one without corn syrup! YUP! 

Creamy Pecan Pie

This is a variation on the southern classic. This version is not as sweet as a traditional pecan pie, but is just as good...only different!

1 (3 oz.) box cook-&-serve vanilla Jell-O Pudding (not instant!)

1 cup light corn syrup

3/4 cup low-fat evaporated milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 (9 inch) prepared pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the pudding mix, corn syrup, milk and egg, stirring well after each addition. Stir in pecans. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until top is slightly cracked and a thin knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours until chilled. Recipe from: Atlanta Journal-Constitution Newspaper Food Section

I hope you give Scott's delicious recipe for yourself! Personally, I have never NOT liked anything Scott has made, so I know you will love this recipe too! Where do you fall on the pecan pie? Like it? Love it? Pass? Next week will I will be sharing another yummy Thanksgiving dessert recipe! 

There are still seats available in these great classes this summer at ISAC! Click the links below to register now. 

English Over-Piped Elegant Wedding Cake with Ceri Griffiths, 11/7-8

Unicorn Bliss Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/18

Art Deco Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/19

Bohemian Love Cookie Collection with Sandra Beltran; 11/19

 Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie 

Our goal is for you to be completely satisfied with your Amazon order! If for any reason this is not the case, we would appreciate it if you would give us a chance to address your concerns, before leaving feedback or a review, by emailing us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com. We would be grateful if you would leave us a positive feedback and review of your Renshaw Fondant. Leaving feedback seems like such a little thing, but it has great impact on our business and we would greatly appreciate your time in leaving it.

2017 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

Photo: roadsidepictures. www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/

The title of this blog either made you roll your eyes or got your mouth watering. I happen to like pumpkin spice. I do, I admit it freely. However, I am not on the pumpkin spice crazy train. I like things that actually HAVE pumpkin spice in it. Not a bazillion random food goods that are really just pumpkin flavored. Since it is now October, and officially fall (although here in Atlanta today, we will have a high of 89 degree!), I thought we could take a peek into the history of the infamous pumpkin spice blend!

Can you name the spices that make up pumpkin spice? I'll give you a hint, there are five different spices... Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Thanks to the ever informative Food Timeline website, I found a reference to a "Pumpion Pie," recipe from the cookbook, The Accomplisht Cook. This cookbook was published in 1685, and while not exactly like pumpkin pie as we know it today, the recipe does call for cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (and also pepper!)- three out of the five spices we use today. Oh, and fun fact, the name pumpkin is derived from the French word pompion, which itself is derived from the Greek word pepon (it means melon!). 

Another cookbook, American Cookery, from 1796 (and that I have referenced here on this blog before) has a recipe for Pompkin that includes ginger, allspice, nutmeg. No cinnamon or cloves, but getting closer! So, what REALLY unified these spices into the seasonal powerhouse that dominates our lives every autumn? Well, in the 1950s, McCormick & Company started bundling common spices, and voila! When combining cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and ginger, they labeled it Pumpkin Pie Spice. Of course, these tasty spices complement a number of cool weather foods, and was never used exclusively for pumpkin pies. In 2003, Starbucks introduced the Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was not a new creation, many small coffeehouses had been roasted pumpkin spice coffee beans since the mid-1990s. Of course, Starbucks is no small coffeehouse- with the Pumpkin Spice Latte (affectionately known as the PSL) a star was born. 

Fun fact- the PSL, and in fact MOST pumpkin spice flavored foods DO NOT contain any pumpkin! Nope. The PSL original recipe did not contain pumpkin (it did contain an artificial coloring that contains low levels of a possible carcinogen- yuck!). It was not until 2015, a full 12 years after its introduction, that Starbucks added a small amount of pumpkin (oh, and they removed the artificial coloring- yay!).

In 10 years, from 2003 through 2013, Starbucks sold over 200 million PSLs. Holy moly. But even more unbelievable is that PSLs generate at least $80,000,000 a year. AT LEAST 80 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. With seasonal revenues that high, it really shouldn't be surprising on how many food products have jumped on the pumpkin pie spice bandwagon. In fact, as of 2016, pumpkin spice consumables (candles, foods, yogurt, cereal, beer, vodka, beard oil... I could go on and on. And yes, that last list item said beard oil. Pumpkin Spice Beard Oil) generates roughly $500 million dollars a year. 

Whether you love or hate the PSL trend, there is no denying the comforting, loving, belly-warming feeling you get from a slice of pumpkin pie. And, if we are being honest, those feelings are thanks to the spices that go into the pie- pumpkin itself is very bland in flavor on its own. Those spices, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves are delicious together. They do make a good team. No matter if you LOVE all things pumpkin spice, or you are a tried and true traditionalist, pumpkin spice has been a part of our fall season for much longer than the current trend. 

So, share your favorite use of pumpkin spice! Mine? I have a pumpkin spice blondie recipe that I love- and for the record, yes it does contain actual pumpkins! I have to admit, the thought of those blondies has made my mouth water... time to break out my pumpkin spice! OH OH OH! How about I share the basic recipe for pumpkin spice so you can make your own?! 

Pumpkin Spice Recipe

3Tbs Ground Cinnamon

2tsp Ground Ginger

1tsp Ground Nutmeg

1tsp Ground Allspice

1/2tsp Ground Cloves

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place. 

Easy peasy, right? Of course, any of these ingredient amounts can be adjusted to taste. Some recipes call for 4Tbs of cinnamon, in others the amounts of allspice and cloves is bumped up to 1 1/2 tsp each. Others may have 2tsp of nutmeg. Experiment and find the blend that works for you! Happy Fall y'all!

There are still seats available in these great classes this summer at ISAC! Click the links below to register now. 

Renshaw Academy Master Certification Class with Chef Nicholas Lodge, 10/13-10/22

English Over-Piped Elegant Wedding Cake with Ceri Griffiths, 11/7-8

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie 

Our goal is for you to be completely satisfied with your Amazon order! If for any reason this is not the case, we would appreciate it if you would give us a chance to address your concerns, before leaving feedback or a review, by emailing us at customersvc@nicholaslodge.com. We would be grateful if you would leave us a positive feedback and review of your Renshaw Fondant. Leaving feedback seems like such a little thing, but it has great impact on our business and we would greatly appreciate your time in leaving it.

2017 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

WINNER of the 2017 Golden Tier Educator of the Year Award

Winner of the 2015 Craftsy Blogger Award for Best Craftsy Cake Decorating Instructor Blog

Chef Nicholas Lodge: 2015 Finalist for the Cake Masters Cake Hero Award

Fruitcake. If you are an American, you are probably rolling your eyes. If you are from nearly anywhere else, your mouth may be watering from memories of delicious holiday treat or dense and sweet wedding cake. Fruitcake is a very popular dessert throughout the world, but here in the old United States of America, the humble fruitcake has a laughable reputation. Johnny Carson joked that there was only one single fruitcake in the whole entire world, and people just keep passing that one cake around as a gift. In Manitou Springs, Colorado there is a yearly fruitcake toss (the record for distance, 1420 feet, was set in 2007 by a group of Boeing engineers). In American English slang, a fruitcake is a person who is strange or even crazy. Well, I think it's high time to restore good old fruitcake's reputation with help from Chef Nicholas and his family recipe!

Chef Nicholas' homemade family fruitcake! Photo: S. Ewing

Photo courtesy of realfood.tesco.com

Spice Up Your Life!

Summer is heating up with a too hot to handle edition of Chef Nicholas' Flavors of the World! This week our dear chef shares his thoughts on all kinds of different spices and peppers! And now, I'll turn things over to Chef Nicholas:

Nicholas Lodge's Newest Book!

I am so excited to share some wonderful news with our wonderful readers! This past weekend, at the 39th annual ICES convention in New Mexico, Chef Nicholas released his brand new book, New Trends in Sugar Flowers. This is the second book of a trilogy; the first, Potpourri of Flowers, was first published in 1999 and re-released in 2013. 

Lauren Kitchens = Cake Coolness

Ok, Lauren Kitchens is not my best friend (yet). I may or may not have only met her this week, but let me tell you something- she is awesome. She's friendly, down to earth, HILARIOUS, and she makes the coolest freaking cakes!  This week, Lauren graced ISAC with her cake making super-powers. She joined forces with our resident super hero, Chef Nicholas, to teach students how to make a Modern Marie Antoinette cake, and yesterday she taught 13 lucky students how to make a Yoda cake! I was able to sit in on both classes, and seriously... they were so much fun! I'm actually pretty jealous I didn't actually get to MAKE either the Marie Antoinette or Yoda cakes. Sad day. However, I got to hang out with Lauren, her assistant Jessie, and all of the amazing students in both of the classes, so I'm still counting it as a win! If you would like to see some of the process shots from the Modern Marie Antoinette and Yoda classes, please check out our facebook page: www.facebook.com/ChefNicholasLodge

A Day in the Life:

Cake Decorating Student

I know I mention it each week, but we really do have a huge, loyal, and enthusiatic fan base here at Nicholas Lodge's International Sugar Art Collection (ISAC). There are people we see all the time in our retail gallery, customers who regularly call in their orders because they love talking to our wonderful customer service specialists (Yay- Molly, Gretchen, Anne, and Molly. Yes we DO have two Mollys!), our facebook page is very active with an innumerable amount of positive and happy comments from our fans, and of course- the students in our cake decorating classes.