Who Are Extreme Pie,

Shoo-fly pie: "a rich pie of Pennsylvania Dutch origin crafted from molasses or brown sugar sprinkled which has a crumbly combination of flour, sugar, and butter," so says the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Makes your teeth curl plus your fat cells expand simply looking at the specification of this pie, that is the way we like things throughout Lancaster county: overpoweringly rich resulting in as sweet that you can stand it. The shoo-fly pie (or shoofly or shoo fly, because case can be) finds itself on many a dessert table within the PA Dutch county of Lancaster.

So what, exactly, is shoo fly pie and how within the (insert expletive or descriptive phrase here) made it happen get its unusual name, The shoo fly pie (hereafter generally known as SFP) is very nothing more than a coffee cake-type concoction that has a gooey molasses bottom. At any rate, the composition on the SFP will be quite simple. It supposedly comes from the colonial period when creative cooks made treats from staple ingredients left within their pantries from a long hard winter: flour, brown sugar, molasses, lard, salt, and spices.

Over recent years, long hard winters were not a threat to the meals supply, but SFP's along with baked goods keep threaten the girths of countless good folks in Lancaster County and abroad. The Pennsylvania Dutch people (aka the Amish) generally claim naming rights on the SFP. The naming from the pie itself possibly stems from the plain folk, however the ingredients really don't.

Although debate remains, most historians, scholars, and bearded Amish men generally agree that this unusual name got their start in the fact how the sweet, gooey molasses mixture could have attracted flies since the pies cooled outside. I know you're expecting something more dramatic and earth shattering than that, but the majority folks through the entire ages are not known for their creativity.

The possibility does exist that "shoo fly" is merely an alteration of words from another language. When you arrived at Lancaster County, go ahead and take some time to see a local bakery or restaurant and sample an SFP. Most such shops will carry them. There are tons (literally) of cooks books that may tell you how you can concoct your individual creation, but assured that your attempts will pale when compared to your baking from the experienced Amish folk. You can buy these books at most of the Lancaster County shops or get them online from numerous websites.

Bear in your mind that there are numerous variations on the traditional SFP. Some (these are favored more with the folks on the Lehigh County area) develop the molasses spread through the entire pie or perhaps in shallow layers, making the pie more dry - hence the name "dry bottom" pies. These pies beg for being consumed with milk or coffee lest the palate become totally without moisture.

Most in the pies in Lancaster County use a gooey "wet" layer of molasses and sugar on the bottom. This is the almighty "wet bottom" pie, which is by far our preference. There is also the chocolate shoo fly pie, that includes a (hopefully very thick) layer of chocolate icing ahead. These things will literally rot your teeth out of your mouth, but a minimum of you'll be enjoying themselves while they're leaving.

Teeth are over-rated anyway. You could be interested in knowing how the Rockvale Square Outlet retail complex hosts an SFP bake-off and eating contest. You can find particulars on these contests together with pictures, winners, and recipes, on the internet. If you can't drive to Lancaster County or don't plan to check out anytime soon, there are numerous online sources that supply SFP's on the market.

You can buy links with a of them inside my signature box. Whether you arrived at Lancaster and try our homemade pies, or you're brave enough to aim making one yourself, I'm sure you're efforts will likely be rewarded. Just remember to brush your teeth and perform a few push-ups when you've finished eating.

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