This is a great, basic recipe for Chess Pie, the gooey, sweet Southern classic. The filling is a rich custard that's sweeter than most, balanced just slightly with the addition of white vinegar. A small amount of flour and cornmeal create a very thin, crispy caramelized crust over the top. More

Updating this classic in a uniquely Southern way is this Sweet Tea Lemon Chess Pie from Mississippi chef and author Martha Foose. For The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook she's spun the classic chess pie filling with an ingenious combination of lemon and sweet tea. Adding these two simple components give the plain pie a refreshingly sweet quality, reminiscent of a cool glass of sweet tea on a humid afternoon. More