SOUTH DAKOTA - Pie #41 of 50 - January 2020
I have been to South Dakota!
I did an in state pie delivery to with Connecticut pie recipient Lauren!
In the 3 days we were there Lauren & I toured a small portion of the great state! We saw Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Badlands, stood at the geographical center of the USA in Belle Forche and had the free crisp ice water at Wall Drug. Just the 2 of us a cooler full of snacks & the open road!
South Dakota has a rich history and is home to the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota tribes. I leaned heavily on the book The Sioux Chef by Sean Sherman as inspiration for this state’s pie. Sean is Oglala Lakota and was born into the Pine Ridge Reservation 10 miles from Batesland, SD.
The pie for this state is a wild rice pudding pie flavored with homemade sunflower milk, blueberry & strawberry tooth sweet, topped with maple pumpkin & sunflower seed crunch in a homemade corn crust.
This pie is for Eric Zimmer, Sam Zimmer, Sam Hurst, Eric Abrahamson, Denis DuBrois, Lois Facer and Nigel!
You must be wondering how this little lady from Hong Kong came to know so many wonderful folks in South Dakota.
I met Eric through Massachusetts pie recipient Matt! Matt introduced us over email and a month later I met Eric in Rapid City! Matt has designed beautiful books for Eric and his friends.
Eric grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and is a historian and author who specializes in Native American history, the history of U.S social policy and public and environmental history.
To say Eric helped me with this pie would be an understatement. Not only did he help me with providing me great texts to read when writing this recipe but he was the most gracious host during my time in SD. He invited a pie bearing stranger into his home and arranged a little get together with his fellow historians, authors, gallery curators and friends so everyone could taste the pie I made as an ode to the state they call home.
I am forever grateful for the hospitality and the knowledge Eric has bestowed on me. Thank you to Eric, Sam, Sam, Lois, Denise and sweet puppo Nigel! For the best conversation, best meal and to new friends! Of all the places I visited during my time in SD my favorite was around that dinner table.
This pie is also dedicated to Emily & Melissa Elsen of Four and Twenty Blackbirds who hail from Hecla, SD. When I was lost in my New York life Georgia pie recipient & my BFF Patrick bought me their pie cookbook for Christmas. I read it cover to cover and it kick started my whole pie journey. I baked myself out of despair.
South Dakota is truly full of Great Places and Great Faces.
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