Chess Pie

There are fancy chess pies – chocolate chess, amaretto chess, Key lime chess – but the true joy of chess pie is its clarity. Eggs, butter, sugar and a bit of cornmeal are the only necessary ingredients, and sometimes the only ingredients at all. A dash of vanilla or lemon zest gives it a twist, and some Dixie cooks include a teaspoon of vinegar that adds twang to its mighty sweet nature. Chess pie sometimes comes crowned with meringue or whipped topping, which can be fine for flavor but does detract from any texture the top of the filling may have gained in the oven.