My husband David will be doing a happy jig this evening when I let him know July 12th is National Pecan Pie Day #NationalPecanPieDay which is one of David’s favorite Pies and also my best friends favorite Pie. Before you ask what about me and Charlie. Charlie doesn’t care for Pecan Pie but i love Pecan’s.
I don’t mind picking the pecan off the top of the Pie. Then eating the Pecans or the middle of the Pie which is a Custard. My daughter Suzzie liked the top of the Pie and the bottom Crust but not the middle which I would eat giving us the perfect way to eat Peacn Pie. What about you. Do you like Pecan Pie?
People are simply nutty over today’s honoree, National Pecan Pie Day on July 12th. It’s pretty easy to get behind a day dedicated to one of our favorite desserts. Indeed, 90% of Americans surveyed believe eating a slice of Pie is one of life’s simple pleasures, indulging in 186 million commercially sold Pies every year!
People who prefer Pecan Pie over the many other types of Pies describe themselves as thoughtful and analytical. We’re not sure if this still holds true for those who add Ice Cream or Whipped Cream but, nonetheless, it’s time to celebrate Pecan Pie. It is uncertain how National Pecan Pie Day started but we certainly feel indebted to an unknown person because we couldn’t agree more with the idea of celebrating Pecan Pie.
Pecan Pie has a long, Southern history whose origins are highly debatable. Some believe Pecan Pie started in New Orleans by French immigrants, turned Southern, in the 1700s after being introduced to the Pecan by Native Americans. Others believe Pecan Pie got its start in Alabama but this claim is unsupported by written recipes or printed literature. Of course, it’s not hard to believe many Southerners would love to lay claim to being the inventor of Pecan Pie.
Following the Civil War, commercial developers brought in a few varieties of Pecans to grow in Georgia, which is now the main commercial grower of Pecans in the U.S. Grafted Pecan Trees also became prevalent in Louisiana in the mid- to late-1800s. The name of the Nut itself is derived from the French word ‘Pacane,’ which is taken from the Algonquian word for ‘Nut.’
Did you know the first printed Pecan Pie recipe surfaced in an 1886 edition of “Harper’s Bazaar” magazine. Years later, various forms of the recipe were published in well-known Cookbooks including “Joy of Cooking.” Throughout the early 1900s, Karo Corn Syrup was invented and yet another claim to the discovery of Pecan Pie emerged. The wife of a company executive shared her recipe using Karo as the ingredient of choice instead of Maple Syrup, Honey, or Molasses. Whether her claim is true, Karo Corn Syrup helped raise the popularity of Pecan Pie when they published the recipe on the product can.
While most hold the perception that the Pecan Pie remains a Southern dish, in reality, its popularity has swept across the U.S. with regions taking on their own ingredient preferences. Pecan Pie holds a place in the Thanksgiving trinity of Pies including Pumpkin, Pecan, and Apple. Most frequently enjoyed by families during this holiday. Due to this, many also consider Pecan Pie a dessert to savor during the fall- and winter months.
LET’S CELEBRATE NATIONAL PECAN PIE DAY
- Pecan Pies can be made and even frozen if you would like to give a Pecan Pie as a gift, but there are many Bakeries online that sell fresh Pecan Pies available for delivery. It’s such an easy way to send a sweet treat to a friend who may not otherwise make or buy a Pecan Pie for themselves.
- The Pecan harvest season starts in September and October in the Eastern States, going through March as you move West. Find Pecan Farms and mark your calendar now for the right time in your region to go.
- It’s hard to beat the classic Pecan Pie recipe but if you’re looking for a change, there are plenty of variations out there. One of the most common is a Chocolate Pecan Pie, which simply adds Chocolate to the main recipe. And when has adding Chocolate ever ruined anything? Beyond that, you’ll find Pecan Pie Cheesecake, Pumpkin Pecan Pie, Bourbon Pecan Pie, and Cranberry-Orange White-Chocolate Pecan Pie.
FACTS ABOUT PECANS
- Pecan Trees take 12 years to mature.
- Once mature, in the best climate conditions, Pecan Tees can produce for hundreds of years.
- Pecans are native to North- and Central America and the U.S. produces 80% of the world’s Pecans.
- Texas chose the Pecan Tree as its State Tree in 1919 and the Pecan Pie as its State Pie in 2013.
- There are over 1,000 varieties of Pecans.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL PECAN PIE DAY
- With the United States producing 80% of the world’s Pecans, Pecan Pies are about as American-made as you can get. Did you know the Pecan industry brings in over $500 million dollars annually across 19 States. Georgia produces the most Pecans per year and Albany is known as the ‘Pecan Capital of the U.S.’ with over 600,000 Pecan Trees.
- What would life be without our grandmothers’ homemade Pies? It’s challenging to find a better tasting Pie once you’ve savored your grandmother’s favorite recipe in large part due to her special ingredient: lots of love.
- Justin Timberlake said it best: “I believe in things I can count on, like Beer and ESPN and my grandmother’s Pecan Pie.”
- Many people favor the Pecan Pie because of the ooey-gooey Custard-like center. Between the layer of crunchy Pecans and the flaky Crust, the center is where the magic happens. The dense combination of Butter, Sugar, Syrup, and Eggs is what creates this delicious texture. If your cavities aren’t ringing, from the Pecan Pie you didn’t make it correctly.
Recipe for Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white sugar
- ¼ cup dark corn syrup
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full boil; remove from heat.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until frothy. Gradually beat in cooked syrup mixture. Stir in salt, vanilla, and pecans.
- Pour pecan mixture into pie shell.
- Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set, 45 to 50 minutes.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
