holding babies through her 80s.
I collected my hickory nuts a little late this year.
Hickory nuts and Grandma Lillian came into my life around the same time. She wasn’t my blood grandma, but she surely was my heart grandma. Grandma Lillian was like that . . . adopting grandchildren in whatever manner they came, birth, adoption, marriage, or stray. You would never know that granny-ing didn’t come so easy for her.
Grandma Lillian belonged to my husband first. By the time I was in the family, he held the royal title of first grandchild. Though when he was born, she took a peek, declined to hold him, then proclaimed for the world to hear, “We’ll get used to him.”
And she did . . . and loved him, and many many more after him.
Grandma Lilian believed in economy of resources . . . economy of cooking ingredients and economy of her time but never an economy of love. This made her a fascinating cook. In a whirlwind flash she could have the table overflowing with food, most of it home-grown or wild.
My favorite example is Thanksgiving dinner where Grandma Lillian always served wild hickory nut pie . . .
. . . no, forgive me Grandma . . . it was PIES.
We typically hit Grandma Lillian’s house 2nd or 3rd in a string of multiple Thanksgiving celebrations. Stuffed, going on sick, we lugged kids through the door joining the loud boisterous throng. But no matter . . .even if I had to roll myself in the door, I was going to get a piece of hickory nut pie.
More than once, I asked Grandma Lilian for her recipe. Since her passing, I’ve asked others in the family. No matter who I ask, the answer never changes.
“Recipe? Just make pecan pie with hickory nuts instead.”
That was simple. Question answered. Over. Done. Grandma’s economy lives on.
So, in honor of Grandma Lilian’s sparkling eyes, wonderful laugh, and warming hugs, I share my recipe for Hickory Nut Pie below.
But feel free to use the family recipe: Just make pecan pie with hickory nuts instead.
Wild Hickory Nut Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup sorghum or KARO Dark Corn Syrup
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pecans, halved or chopped
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place pie shell in a 9 inch pie pan.
- In a medium bowl, beat eggs till well mixed.
- Stir in sugar and flour till combined.
- Stir in syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Stir in hickory nut pieces.
- Pour into a prepared pie shell.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.
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