Why is it Called Chess Pie?

A Little History

As for how it got it’s name, I found this article on portablepress.com.

Chess Pie originated in the South. According to legend, a cook on a plantation made up this kind of pie (or something very close to it) and was asked what she had made. Her answer: “just pie,” which, delivered in a Southern accent could be misheard as “chess pie.”

Another article read:

It’s a pretty simplistic answer, but the folk legend associated with this pie says that Before the advent of refrigeration, other methods of preservation were necessary to keep food fresh. For pies, a pie chest was used. (Also called a pie safe, a pie chest was a freestanding piece of furniture that kept pies and other foods locked up and safe from rats and mice.) Chess pie was one such food item stored in a pie chest and became so popular that it became synonymous with pie chests. Its name “chest pie” was eventually corrupted to “chess pie.” – portablepress.com

Pie has been a staple of Southern cuisine since the 19th century. Popular Culture: In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the character Miss Maudie Atkinson makes a Lane cake, which is described as having a filling similar to chess pie.

So there you go. I’m still not sure how it got its name. But I really don’t care. It’s an awesome pie, even if you don’t understand its name.

So if you are interested in the recipe, click on the line below:

https://darlenestable.com/chocolate-chess–pie/

Find more tasty recipes right here: https://darlenestable.com