When I was a young girl, there was a huge white farm-style house with a pristine lawn and white picket fence, just down the road from us. I was fascinated by it, and one spring day, I took it upon myself to meet the occupant. Peeking through the fence, I saw a gray-haired lady working in the flower bed and called out to her in the cheeriest voice I could muster. She opened the gate, invited me in with a big grandmotherly hug, and we became instant friends.
Mrs. Welborn had a large strawberry patch behind her house and I earned lots of quarters picking berries every June. I spent many hours, helping her with her yard work, and afterwards, we’d retire to the squeaky white glider on her porch. There she served up good old-fashioned conversation and an endless supply of ice cold lemonade in bright aluminum tumblers.
She was an excellent cook and would occasionally invite me into her kitchen to sample a slice of one of her homemade pies. My favorite was her chocolate pie, so one day I asked her for the recipe. Mom and I have been making it ever since, and it’s a must at every holiday meal at the Sykes house.
Looking back, I’m not sure how much Mrs. Welborn really needed my help, but I certainly needed her. Mrs. Welborn happily spent hour after hour investing in me, a little girl who had no grandmother living close by. She taught me a little about gardening, how to pick the perfect strawberry, and how to make my now “famous” Iron Skillet Chocolate Pie.
Thank you to all the "Mrs. Welborns" out there. Your kindness, your generosity and the memories you help create will always be remembered.
Who would you love to go back and say thank you to?
Iron Skillet Chocolate Pie
pie1 baked pie shell1 cup sugar2 tbsp flour3 tbsp cocoa2 tbsp butter3 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)1 cup milkvanilla to taste
Mix sugar, flour and cocoa in a small mixing bowl. Melt butter in an iron skillet over medium/low heat. Stir in sugar mixture till well blended. In a separate bowl, beat eggs yolks, add milk and blend well. Add the egg and milk mixture to the sugar mixture in the skillet a little at a time, stirring constantly. cook slowly while stirring until thick. Remove from heat, add vanilla and allow to cool slightly before pouring into a baked pie shell.
meringue
reserved egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg whites with hand mixer on high until stiff white peaks form. Add cream of tartar and sugar. Top pie with meringue and bake for 8 minutes at 400 or until golden brown. Allow pie to cool before serving.
