Shoo Fly Pie & Apple Pandowdy

Last night we watched a rerun of "Two Fat Ladies" on the Food Network channel. We've always like these two characters and haven't seen them since one of them, Jennifer Paterson, passed away around ten years ago. One of the dishes they were preparing was Apple Pandowdy and Jennifer Paterson broke out in song singing "Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pandowdy" — which was made popular by Doris Day back when I was a mere child. I've often wondered what a Shoo Fly Pie was and had no idea what a "dowdy" would be. I never thought about making one myself, nor have ever seen a recipe for one. So this morning Ken mentioned we ought to make one and take it to our daughter's for dessert tonight. After Googling Jennifer Paterson's recipe I researched a recipe for Shoo Fly Pie, and ended up making both to take to Sunday Supper at Simply Country Farm.

At the same time I got the lyrics to the song online, printed them out, so we could all sing the song as I served up dessert. It was lots of fun, even the boys (well, one of them at least) joined in the singing. And it was fun to taste and enjoy something for the first time.

Shoo Fly Pie ready to go in the oven.

Apple Pandowdy is one of a family of simple desserts, known in different parts of the world as cobblers, duffs, grunts, slumps and pandowdies. While these desserts have subtle variations, the base of all of them is fruit baked with a sweet biscuit or cake top. The exact origin of the name Pandowdy is unknown, but it is thought to refer to the dessert's plain or "dowdy" appearance. Looks can be deceiving, apple pandowdy is delicious, especially topped with a bit of ice cream or whipped cream.

Shoo Fly Pie is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dessert. Brown sugar, molasses, shortening, salt, and spices were all non-perishable ingredients that could survive the long ocean's crossing to America made by German immigrants. The pie's unusual name is said to be due to the fact that pies were traditionally set to cool on windowsills, and because of the sweet ingredients, the cook would constantly have to shoo the flies away.

The boys liked both desserts especially smothered with whipped cream!

Both these desserts are super easy to make and everybody seemed to enjoy them.

Life is good!