Make Ahead

Stephen Harriman, a writer for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, says, “For some reason, I was expecting the peanut pie to be a pecan pie look-alike. Instead it looked more like a lemon meringue or banana cream pie. If you like peanuts smooth, you’ll love this.”

Smooth, firm, and creamy, this pie is naturally a lovely shade of pink, so you need not add the food coloring unless you want a deeper color. After 6 hours in the freezer, it’s slice-able but still soft. Left overnight, it’s firm but still creamy—a little piece of strawberry heaven.

This pie, one of the most popular at the Staunton eatery, has a medium-dark chocolate filling topped off with mounds of fresh meringue. Vivian Obie, a cook and baker for the restaurant for over forty years, remembers her first day as a baker, which was an Easter Sunday—one of the busiest days of the year. She recalls using this recipe to make chocolate pie: “The baker who usually made the chocolate pie called in sick. I thought I could do it. I made it and it looked so pretty with the meringue on it and all. I thought I had it made. But when they sliced it, the pie ran all over the place. The chocolate just wasn’t thick enough.” If you follow the instructions and make sure the pie is cooled completely, then don’t worry—it will turn out great.

Peanuts are grown in the southeastern part of Virginia but enjoyed throughout the state, especially in pie. The crunchy peanut butter crumbles and the smoothness of the custard pair for a scrumptious pie experience. For an interesting take on the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter, try it in the Chocolate Cookie Crust (page 21).

The texture of this pie is creamier and smoother than the version that Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants serve, which was included in Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant Cookbook: A Lifetime of Recipes from the Shenandoah Valley. For smooth peanut butter fans, this pie is hard to beat. The recipe comes from Susan Simmons, a baker for Mrs. Rowe’s Catering.

Velvety smooth, fragrant, and creamy, this is a warming and perfectly soothing pie.

This rich pie is creamy on the inside and crusty on the outside—a treat for those who love chocolate, as well as for those who love interesting contrasts in texture. Serve cold for the best flavor.

Mrs. Rowe’s restaurants serve this luscious dream of a pie for chocolate lovers only on special occasions—but you can make it anytime at home.

Roger Bible, a relative of the Rowe family, says “My favorite pie is Mildred’s banana cream, which she often brought along to family gatherings. I think it was the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

This pie is unbelievably easy—you really can’t fail. You could make this pie in a plain pie crust, but why would you want to when this sweet and spicy alternative is available? When you prepare the egg yolks for the filling, remember to save the whites for the meringue.

If you don’t like the texture of lime zest in an otherwise smooth and silky filling, feel free to leave it out. Although it isn’t really a Key lime pie without Key lime juice, regular lime juice is just as delicious in this pie. For those who like a wonderfully tart pie, serve it plain, or you can top it with a dollop of whipped cream. If the pie sticks to the pan when you’re scooping it out, try dipping the bottom of the pan into a bowl of warm water to loosen it.

Mrs. Rowe attributed this recipe to her friend Mrs. John Martin, a Mennonite from Harrisonburg. The custard is slightly grainy, which is normal for this old-fashioned pie, and its pleasant, refreshing flavor is unusual to the modern palate. For plumper raisins, bring them to a boil in a small amount of water, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the raisins thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe.

This recipe was found in a notebook belonging to Bertha, one of Mildred’s sisters. It was clipped out of an old newspaper and pasted onto a page of the notebook. It’s a festive-looking and showy pie offering a delicate almond-coconut flavor and a spongy, frothy texture somewhere between meringue and marshmallow, with a hint of chewiness from the coconut. It makes a delightful addition to any holiday table.

This recipe was found in a notebook belonging to Willard Rowe (Mildred’s second husband), on a stained and yellowed sheet of ruled paper. Willard died in 1972, but many of his recipes are still used by the family and the business. This pie is a favorite of longtime customers Marion and Gene Harner, who remember when Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant included a slice of pie with every meal. “You got a complete meal for under $2,” says Gene.

Bonnie Cash, a customer at Mrs. Rowe’s, says, “When my husband used to travel on business and was in Staunton, he always ate lunch or dinner at Rowe’s. He ate there so often that on one occasion Mildred told him she wanted to cook dinner for him and invited him home to eat. He would never eat mincemeat pie. Well, she served mincemeat pie and he ate it so as not to disappoint her. It turns out that it is also now a favorite during the holidays. I must admit he never had eaten ‘real’ mincemeat before.” This mincemeat is about as “real” as it gets. According to Grace Firth in her book Stillroom Cookery: The Art of Preserving Foods Naturally, “Mincemeat is a salute to the triumph of nature and humanity’s ingenuity in bringing it all together in pie.” Because making mincemeat is an undertaking, make a huge batch of it, keep it in the refrigerator, and make fresh pies all season long.

“Impossible” pies, which were popular in the 1960s, are made with Bisquick instead of pie crust. This recipe, from Mildred’s sister Virginia, isn’t authentically “impossible” because it doesn’t use Bisquick. Instead, the filling makes its own firmer layer of custard next to the pie plate as it bakes, forming a sort of crust. It’s simply perfect for the crust-shy baker. The coconut on top of this pie is nice and crunchy, providing a delightful contrast to the creamy custard.

There are never any leftovers of this flavorful pie at Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet. Because green tomatoes have such a short season, customers have many long months to look forward to this pie, with its robust spice and vinegar essences perfectly mingled with an underlying sweetness. The flavors unfold with every bite. Longtime regular customers know to get to the restaurant early enough to enjoy a slice. If the green tomato season slips by, try tomatillos instead. This pie also works as a side dish with pork chops or chicken.

This is the most popular dessert at Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and Bakery. Enough said.

Hickory nuts are only available in a few areas of the country, and the South is one of them. They’re usually sold in their shells, which are extremely thick and hard. But if you’re a hickory nut lover, this pie will inspire you to do the hard work of shelling them. If you can’t find hickory nuts, pecans are in the hickory family and make a great substitute. A shot of bourbon enhances the flavor—and makes it even more Southern. For a crisp bottom crust, parbake the shell before filling it. For a crunchy pie, go with the larger amount of nuts.

Thanks to Mrs. Brown, mother of longtime Mrs. Rowe’s employee Eric Brown, for this gently flavored pie recipe. It’s a testament to the Southern creative ability to use everything from the garden, not letting anything go to waste.