Pennsylvania Dutch were addicted to pies of all types and they ate them any time of day. The most famous of their pies was the shoofly pie. As the very earliest settlers came to North America by boat, they brought with them the staples of their diet - long-lasting nonperishable that would survive a long boat trip. These staples were flour, brown sugar, molasses, lard, salt, and spices. Arriving in the new land during late fall, they had to live on ship staples until the next growing season. The women, being master of the art of "making do," concocted a
pie from the limited selection that could be found in the larder. This resourcefulness led to the creation of shoofly pie.
It is delicacies such as these that have become a lost art interrupted by such foes as Little Debbies' and TastyKakes. But, getting back to true homemade fare makes a limited food budget easier to adhere to!
Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine (cut into pieces)
Filling:
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup light corn syrup or pancake syrup
1/3 cup molasses
One 9-inch unbaked pastry pie shell
Whipped cream for topping or Cool Whip
Put topping ingredients into bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In another bowl dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Add corn syrup and molasses stirring to mix thoroughly. Pour into pie shell and sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 degrees until filling is firm and doesn't jiggle when pie is shaken. Serve at room temperature and top with whipped cream!