Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-23
WASHINGTON PIE RECIPES
GIVEN BY MRS. WILSON
Vermont Virginia and Michigan Styles Of This Decacy Are
Equally Tasty-Dutch Housewife Concocted IL
From LeftOpers
BY MRS. NJ. A. WILSON

tcoprtOht. I2'c By Mrs.. r. A. Wilson.
Z NV Dear Mrs. wilson-when I was
n boy. used to buy old fashioned
washington pie. which they told me
was made of stale cake. pie and other
things. Will you publish the recipe as
rnade then or tell me where l can get
~ to buy? F. F.
I Washington Pie
Years ago. before the advent Of the
smodern range--aye, even before the coal
.stove-those dear old housewives of
yesteryear were compelled to do their
baking in a hearth oven. This oven
was heated for hours by burning fuel,
usually wood. directly in the oven.
Then the embers were raked out, the
soven swabbed with a kind of mop and
the big loaves of creamy bread were
placed in il to bake. After the bread
came the cakes and pastries and, as
usual, the sc,appings of the bowl were
turned into n pie plate and baked, gen
orally for the children of the house
hold.
Z Now, as the story goes. one good
housewife of New Amsterdam, being
busily engaged with her spring clean
1ng, let her supply of dainties run low,
and then. just as it does today, it hap
.psned that this was the only time friend
Husband could think to bring home
guest. Now, il you had ever been ac-
Nuainted with Holland and Dutch fam
lilies, you must know that they were
Hospitality itself. and this good woman.
AL flustered, quickly set to scheming to
.provide the bOuntcous repaSt that her
guest might appease his appetite.
! Like old Mother Hubbard. who went
TO the cupboard to find it was bare.
.this Dutch" housewife found that
.the sole contents of her cake closet
Mere two thin cakes which had been
!nade from the scraappings of the cake
bowl. So she quickly made custard
and placed it as filling between the
layers and then spread the top with
Jelly and covered this with freshly
grated cocoanut. The guest was de-
]ighted and inquired the name Of the
RELIGIOUS dessert. and the good vrouw,
hard pressed for an answeh said that
IL was washing en- pie-meaning that,
this being her washday. she had con-
rooted it. And from this humble be-
ginning the famous pie became the
rage. Early Colonial diaries tell of it
being prepared for the Father of His
Country. and it was sent to him while
In camp. The zen" was dropped and
q ton added. ANY one iamlllar with
the Dutch language will easily under
stand how the change was made.
: And now for the modern Washington
pie. Place in mixing bowl
: Three quarters cup of sugar.
(. One large egg,
Seven tablespoons Of good shortening.
Cream together until light and fluffy
and then add
Tieo and ohe-har cups of -four.
: -Four lepel teaspoons OF baking
poioder,
: One-haU teaspoon of salt,
Z One cup of wdter,
Z One-hat teaspoon of nutmeg.
Z Beat to mix thoroughly and then turn
into well CREASED and Toured layer
cake pan and bake in a hot oven for
eighteen minutes.
/: Now while the cake is baking place
In a saucepan
One and one third cups Of milk,
One-AGf cup of -four.
Stir to dissolve the -four and bring
to q boil. Cook for three minutes and
tlen add
One egg,
: One-hdH cup Of sugar,
One tablespoon Of butter,