Pecan Pie

Pecan pie — a single-crust pie filled with a dark, gooey, caramel-like custard of sugar (or corn syrup), eggs, butter, and pecan halves — is the South's most iconic pie and the dessert most closely associated with Thanksgiving in the Southern states. The pecan (*Carya illinoinensis*) is native to the American South and was cultivated by Indigenous peoples long before European contact; the pie in its modern form likely dates to the early 20th century and was popularised by Karo corn syrup, whose recipe on the bottle established the standard. The pie is the edible expression of the pecan tree's centrality to Southern life — the trees line every Southern road, the nuts are gathered every autumn, and the pie is the annual celebration of the harvest.

A single-crust pie (standard flaky butter-and-lard pie crust) filled with a mixture of eggs, sugar (dark corn syrup, or a combination of corn syrup and brown sugar, or molasses), melted butter, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and pecan halves arranged in concentric circles on top. Baked at 175°C for 50-60 minutes until the filling is set at the edges but still slightly jiggly at the centre (it continues to set as it cools). The filling should be dark, dense, and caramel-like — sweet but balanced by the pecans' bitterness and the salt.

After Thanksgiving dinner. After any Southern meal. With whipped cream (not Cool Whip — real whipped cream, barely sweetened). With a scoop of vanilla ice cream. With strong coffee.