Not too long ago, I had a discussion with some friends about whether or not Florida is part of "The Deep South." Most of us said yes. After all, it's the southernmost state in the country, so it must be. One enlightened soul disagreed. She said that while perhaps at one time Florida may have been considered part of the Deep South, it wasn't anymore, because a majority of the people living here are from somewhere else. She had a point. As I looked around the table, I realized that each one of us was originally from somewhere else, including my wise friend, Lily. She is from Alabama, and so is her fabulous buttermilk pie, which we enjoyed that night during our debate. I've been begging for that recipe for years, and she finally gave it to me.
Buttermilk pie is a traditional southern specialty, especially favored by those hailing from the Deep South. It's a custard-based pie made with eggs, butter, sugar, and of course, buttermilk. It's really quite simple to make, and the payoff is big. This is one silky smooth, creamy and incredibly delicious dessert. I can see why it's so popular.
To prepare the pie, all you do is mix up the filling ingredients and pour them into an unbaked pie shell. You can make your own crust from scratch, like Lily always does, or use a store-bought crust, like I sometimes do. Honestly, it is better with a homemade crust, but it's also plenty wonderful without — so don't let that stop you from trying this recipe.
Lily's original recipe doesn't call for any add-ins. But I was betting that the pie's rich custard filling would make a perfect backdrop for some fresh summer fruits, so I also added some raspberries to it. I was absolutely right. The pie is rich, cool and sweet, without being cloyingly so, and the raspberries add a nice pop of fruity freshness and texture. I'm also guessing that just about any kind of berry, or other firm fruit (like peaches or apples), would be great as well. Oooh! A peaches and cream pie! How great does that sound?
Whether you're from the Deep South, the "Faux" South or no South at all, you have got to make this Raspberry Buttermilk Pie. You're gonna love it, y'all!
Raspberry Buttermilk Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 eggs, whisked
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick butter, melted and cooled (1/2 cup of butter)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell, homemade or store bought
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk sugar and flour together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and buttermilk and mix by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add butter, vanilla, lemon juice and zest and mix well.
2. Pour filling into pie shell. Gently scatter raspberries on top. They will sink, but that's okay.
3. Bake until filling is set and top is lightly golden, about 45-50 minutes.
4. Cool to room temperature before serving. Store for up to 3 days covered and chilled.
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