THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS: Lisa Wingate’s Buttermilk Pie
 Here’s a recipe that’s a true time period delight from Hannie’s era —Hannie was a freed slave in Louisiana in 1875. It would also be a favorite in the cafe’s dessert case in present-day Augustine, Louisiana. It’s not a ‘pretty’ pie, but served as a staple dessert back in the days when basic farm ingredients like buttermilk and eggs were common fare, and cooks needed to use them up before they spoiled. I’ve had so much fun over the years taking this pie to potluck gatherings. Older folks recognize it and often say, “Haven’t had that in years!”
Such treasures as the humble buttermilk pie should never be lost to history. 😉 -Lisa Wingate
About The Book of Lost Friends: A historical novel telling the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives. Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as newly freed slaves desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold away. Also see Lisa Wingate’s recipe for Apple Bread Pudding paired with Before We Were Yours |
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Lisa Wingate’s Buttermilk Pie
Lisa Wingate suggests a book club recipe to pair with her novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS — Southern Buttermilk Pie.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 rounded tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash nutmeg (optional)
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
Instructions
- Place butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cream together well. Add flour and eggs and beat well. Stir in buttermilk, vanilla, and nutmeg.
- Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350°F degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
This pie is also wonderful with a handful of chocolate chips, a handful of chopped nuts, and a handful of coconut added to the pie shell before you pour the filling in. It will melt in your mouth!