SWEET AS PIE, BUT NOT TOO SWEET

In celebration of #nationalpecanpieday my preferred pie leans on brown butter, toasted pecans and golden syrup. Early pecan pies (prior to 1900), were in fact, custard pies studded with nuts. The sticky, dentist-friendly versions we associate with Thanksgiving were propelled by the invention of corn syrup (and the marketing genius from the folks at Karo). “Pacane” is a Native American word of Algonquin origin used to describe “a nut too hard to crack by hand.” Commercial pecan production is due in large part to the talents of an enslaved gardener, (history only refers to him by the name, Antoine), who successfully identified a means of propagating pecan trees in 1876, ultimately leading to propagation of pecans on a commercial level. Something to think about the next time you reach for a package of no fuss, ready-to-use shelled pecans.
While pecan pie tends to join the party in late fall (or when ponies are on the run), the right balance of toasty pecans against an all-butter crust and caramel-y filling deserves a place at the table regardless of the season. Take the time to toast the pecans and use a light hand with the sugar so you can appreciate the rich harmony of the ingredients.
And the beauty of nut pie in summer (other than it’s scrumptious), is unlike certain stone fruits that may benefit from an extra day dozing on the counter, pecan pie can happen just like that.