Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crunch
FROM YANKEE MAGAZINE
Back in the day, home cooks used to clip recipes from women's auxiliary books and the Sunday papers, or they'd find them on the label of a trusted brand. My mom made her pecan pie from the recipe on the back of the Karo corn syrup bottle. She even called it "Karo pie." Our version of this classic pie is rich and buttery and features plenty of crunchy Georgia pecans and a shot of Kentucky bourbon.
Afra Lineberry, Agee to her family, opened The Jerre Anne Bake Shoppe in St. Joe, Missouri, in 1930. It was the last stop on the trolley line. Conductors would leave their cars running while they ran into Agee’s for a cup of coffee and a piece of pie. “It seems like I just always knew how to make a good pie crust. It may take a little practice for some, but the only time to get excited about a pie crust is when you’re eating it,” Agee used to say. The little shop grew to be a smashing success, and by 1990, with Geraldine Lawhon (Agee’s niece) running the place, it was selling 625 pies at Thanksgiving alone. Sadly, The Jerre Anne closed its doors in 2008. When you eat Agee’s pie, send your thanks heavenward.