Cooking Lesson #753: Old-Fashioned Diner Cream Pie

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? There was a time before Door Dash and Grub Hub when food was delivered to homes in America by the milkman. In Los Angeles it was Arden Farms and Adora Dairies. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin (the Dairy State) it was Golden Guernsey Dairy. Joan found some of her mother’s receipts from 1969 and they all had recipes on the back.
 
As I browsed through some of the recipes the receipts themselves showed how much prices have risen since the 60’s—a pint of cottage cheese 43¢, 1 dozen eggs 55¢ and a half gallon of premium ice cream $1.98. With prices like that, families and restaurants were cooking and baking with more fresh dairy ingredients. One of my favorite legacy recipes is this Old-Fashioned Diner Cream Pie. 
 
I got this particular recipe idea from Gaby’s Coffee Shop in LA (I used to love their cream pie) and Golden Guernsey. After a couple of tests, I finally got it right—it passed the Joan test. Now, turn on your time machine and let me take your taste buds back to 1968.
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour+
Cool time: 45 minutes
 
Ingredients 
1 (9 inch) pie shell
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
Directions (just 5 easy steps)

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Place sugar, egg, half-and-half, flour, whipping cream, butter and vanilla in blender. Beat until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, until set in center.
5. Allow to set and cool for 45 minutes before cutting and serving.

ChefSecret:  The technique is simple, just beat the hell out of the ingredients and watch your baking time. One hour usually does it.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What did the pie say to the Russian soldiers? A. “I come in piece.”

Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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