Barbara Fritchie Pudding

This honorary dish is named for the patriotic German-American Unionist, Barbara Hauer Frietschie. Legend has it that a 95-year-old Frietschie rubbed the Stars-n-Stripes in the faces of Stonewall Jackson's Confederate troops as they advanced through Frederick, Maryland, daring them to shoot the American flag that waved before her humble abode. Supposedly, Gen. Jackson was a gentleman and asked his troops to to aim their rifles elsewhere.

Historians beg to differ; they claim the very elderly Barbara was feeling a bit puny and was abed that day. The flag currently on display in the Barbara Frietchie House Museum is shot full of holes. However, the incident has been memorialized in John Greenleaf Whittier's poem, Barbara Frietchie; in a Frederick, Maryland, restaurant, http://pages.frederick.com/dining/fritchie.htm; and in this oh-so-simple, very old-fashioned American pudding, which is actually a pie.

I discovered this recipe in The Southern Cook Book of Fine Old Recipes, compiled and edited by Lillie S. Lustig, S. Claire Sondheim, and Sarah Rensel. (Reading, PA: Culinary Arts Press, 1939.)

The recipe states that the pudding should be served "very cold," and it's even good eaten frozen, if you're into that sort of thing, but it's also delicious warm from the oven, served up with a dollop of whipped cream. Even better if you've got a ginger cookie to crumble over top of the whole delicious dish. Make this right now; you've got all the ingredients on hand.

This recipe is exactly as it appears in the 1939 tome:

Barbara Fritchie Pudding

3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 Tb. butter
Nutmeg to taste*
1/2 tsp. vanilla**

Into a double boiler put the sugar, cream, brown sugar, egg yolks and butter and cook until thick [stirring fairly constantly, to keep the mixture from sticking - krw]. Remove from the fire, add the vanilla and the well-beaten egg whites. Pour into an unbaked pie shell, sprinkle with nutmeg, bake in a slow oven (275 F) for about 45 minutes or until custard is set. Serve very cold.

* For goodness' sake, I hope you're not one of those persons who's still using nutmeg from a tin. If so, slap yourself then get down to the health food store or the whole foods retailer and buy yourself some nutmegs and a nutmeg grater.
** I use an entire tablespoon of vanilla -- in every recipe I make that calls for it. Do not be tempted by the lure of cheap vanilla. Yet get what you pay for.