Martha Washington's Nutmeg Custard Pie (1770)

• 2 cups milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tspn vanilla extract
• 3/4 tspn ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tspn salt
• pastry for 9-inch pie

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry.  Flute edge, and prick bottom and sides with fork tines. Bake in pre-heated hot oven (425 degrees) for 7 minutes. Remove pie shell.  Reduce oven temperature to slow (325 degrees).

In a medium saucepan, scald milk with bay leaf and cinnamon stick. In a bowl, thoroughly combine eggs with egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and salt. Strain scalded milk over egg mixture, and mix well.

Pour into pie shell. Bake in a slow oven until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve at room Temperature with whipped cream, sprinkled with nutmeg, if desired  Serves 8.

(Origin - Clipping from unknown local cookbook, circa 1980. Martha Washington lived from 1731 to 1802. Recipe from Melinda Ruddell.)

More "Lost" Historic Recipes
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Thomas Jefferson's Macaroni and Cheese (1802)
Abe Lincoln's Butter-Browned Steak with Coffee-Mustard Sauce (1837)