Delaware Valley Archivists Group

As someone who likes to (try to!) cook, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to attempt one of the Morris family’s recipes in my own kitchen.  I chose to make the Lemon Pie, as it didn’t require any unusual or expensive ingredients and had fairly simple instructions.  Here is the recipe, as transcribed by Margaret from the Morris papers: Lemon Pie 4 eggs & one extra yolk – 2 cups sugar – Juice and grated rind of two lemons – 5 desert [sic] spoons flour wet with a little water to make smooth 2 cups water – Beat yolks & sugar [,] add flour – then lemons, whites & water -Margaret Wood Bake in pretty slow oven [in different handwriting]         After combining all of the ingredients according to the brief instructions, I was sure the recipe would be a failure.  The mixture that emerged after combining the water, lemons, sugar, eggs, and flour looked like a watery mess.  It didn’t resemble a typical thickened pie filling in any way—it looked like pale yellow water with the occasion piece of lemon zest floating around.  Not exactly appetizing. I decided, however, to persevere.  I poured the mixture into a 9×13 pan and put it in the oven at 275° for one hour—my interpretation of the direction to “bake in a pretty slow oven.”  When I checked the oven after twenty minutes, little had changed and the mixture was as watery as ever.  At the end of an hour, though, it became clear to me that the Morris women knew what they were doing.  The mixture had finally thickened to a custard-like consistency and developed a bright yellow hue.  After cooling the dessert and enlisting the taste-testing skills of my husband, we discovered that it in fact had a lovely flavor—bright, sweet, and clean with a hint of lemony tang.  It was slightly reminiscent of lemon meringue pie filling, but without the familiar gelatinous texture.  I decided to dress it up with a few crumbled vanilla cookies and some whipped cream, and it served as a satisfying Sunday dessert.  Despite what I thought was a rocky start, the recipe was a success and I will definitely make it again, with only a few minor alterations (less zest, more flour).  It was tasty, easy to make, and composed mostly of pantry staples.  In an age when so many of our foods are composed with dozens of ingredients we can’t even pronounce, it was refreshing to make such a simple and satisfying dessert.