NATCHEZ — Local restaurateurs and chefs of their own household kitchens agree there’s something about pies that makes people feel as ooey and gooey inside as the scrumptious filling.

Whether it’s chocolate meringue, pecan drizzled with sweet potato puree or banana cream, it’s hard to beat the nostalgia of pies that stick to the palate or pop out of the oven.

For those without generations-old recipes stashed in a recipe “bible” like Natchez resident Elaine Gemmell, many local eateries offer pies with a back-story of their own.

Nikki Gillespie said Nikki’s Restaurant in Vidalia has been making pies from scratch since the Vidalia restaurant opened under the name Robins in 1983, when Nikki was just 6 months old.

“(Nikki) grew up in the restaurant,” said Nikki’s grandmother and former owner, Imogene Robins.

Robins, who has tried to retire twice but keeps coming back to the kitchen on Carter Street, created one of their most popular of the recipes, pecan praline cheesecake pie, decades ago.

Many of the other recipes were handed down to Robins from her mother.

And to the regulars — some who eat at Nikki’s twice or even three meals a day — that sense of family tradition is something they can taste, Nikki said.

“I think (pies) just remind (customers) of being at home,” Nikki said.

Gemmell’s recipe book, a two-volume tattered little pair of “records” with browned, watermarked pages and handwriting of several family members, holds all the secrets, except the ones in her head.

She said her mother used to make mincemeat pies and she followed suit to the delight of her husband, Mike.

“You know, (mincemeat pie) is my favorite,” Mike said, as he enjoyed a slice for lunch.

“It’s sweet and savory at the same time — it’s perfect” Elaine said.

While the origins of mincemeat pie contained meat, nowadays it is a combination of dried fruit, spices and apples.

Elaine has also added recipes of her own to add to the rubber band-bound volumes.

As a student at University of Southern Mississippi, Elaine adopted a number of recipes while living with other food nutrition and design majors in a Victorian house on campus.

Back then, the women with the similar major were required to live together for a few semesters.

“Back then we called it home economics,” she said.

The buttermilk pie recipe she picked up at the house has now become a family favorite.

She has also incorporated tips learned over the years into her recipes, even if they vary from the ingredient list.

To make crust extra flaky Elaine adds a splash of vodka to the mixture of flour, salt and vegetable shortening and water.

Elaine pointed a careful fork prong at three precise layers in her mincemeat piecrust before snatching a bite up.

The evaporation of the vodka, which she substitutes for a tablespoon or so of water, helps the crust puff into perfect layers.

Gia Shafer, who bakes pies for business and pleasure at Uptown Grocery, lent a tip for slicing pies to prevent crust from crumbling.

By slicing the crust near the edge of the pan first, then sliding the knife toward the center, the perfect piece is easier to attain.

“It generally doesn’t break as much,” Shafer said.

Without a regular dessert schedule, Shafer said she likes the freedom to bake whatever she feels like whipping up.

“(Baking pies) makes you in a better mood sometimes; it really does,” Shafer said.

While Mammy’s cupboard has most of their world-famous recipes in their cookbook, the banana cream pie is only made in the house.

According to manager Lorna Martin, that’s because the strategy is too dangerous to try at home.

To achieve the layer of caramel that’s spread over fresh bananas, the cooks at Mammy’s boil a can of condensed milk for five hours, Moore said.

“We cut of the labels, boil it for five hours. It turns into caramel and we slice is onto the pie as we make it,” Martin said.

Monmouth Chef Eric Sibley said his pecan pie served with all the high-end fixings, hits the holiday sweet spot.

“One (commenter) said it tastes like Christmas,” Sibley said.

Gillespie said part of why she loves baking is the tradition passing down of recipes, many which have lasted six generations. And she hopes she can continue that tradition.

“I want to keep it going for my kids,” Gillespie said.

“I would like for them to say (the recipes) are seven or eight generations olds.”

 

 

 

 

Key Lime Pie, Uptown Grocery

Uptown Grocery sells pies seasonally, and they can be specially ordered a day in advanced by calling 601-445-9111.

 

Banana cream pie and lemon meringue pie, Mammy’s Cupboard

Mammy’s Cupboard, open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday, serves pie by the slice.

 

Pecan praline cheesecake pie and Chocolate Meringue pie, Nikki’s

Nikki’s sells a variety of 15 whole pies and pies by the slice from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 10 to 2 p.m. Sunday.

 

Coconut buttermilk pie, Magnolia Grill

Magnolia Grill sells pies the slice or whole pies with a day’s advanced notice from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They can be reached at 601-4466-7670. Magnolia Grill owner John Parks said the recipe for the buttermilk pie was passed down from the great aunt of his wife, Malan, Edna Earl Clark Guyon, known affectionately as “Aunt John.”

Pecan Pie, Monmouth Plantation 1819

1918 serves a variety of deserts, including pecan pie by the slice served with sweet potato puree, blood orange reduction, vanilla custard, pomegranate seeds and fresh sage. Whole pies can be bought with a week’s advanced notice by calling 601-442-5852.