The story of Black Bottom Pie dates to the late fifties and early sixties at Otterbein. Dr. Fred Bamforth (picture at right) was professor of mathematics and a long time confirmed bachelor. He had established a tradition that whenever there was a faculty gathering that involved contributing food he would make and bring a Black Bottom Pie. The pie was delicious, and he was often asked for the recipe. He would always respond that the recipe was a secret that he couldn't share.

It would seem that it is now safe to share the secret, and especially, why it was a secret. After all, a recipe for Black Bottom Pie is not too hard to find. The reason for the secrecy was the fact that one of the prime admirers of the pie was President Lynn W. Turner's wife, Mrs. Vera Turner (picture at left). You see, Mrs. Turner was a well known and staunch teetotaler, and the pie contained two tablespoons of rum. And, no, the alcohol didn't cook out; the rum was added after all cooking.

Dr. Bamforth did occasionally share the recipe. He gave it to Roger and Betty Wiley, and to myself and my wife, Sara. Roger was a colleague in the department and I was an adjunct. Sara and I got the recipe during a visit to Dr. Bamforth's home on Lake Cashagawigamog in Ontario. (Dr. Bamforth was a Canadian citizen.) Sara copied it from his book. When I came to Otterbein in 1971 as a full time faculty member Dr. Bamforth had retired to Canada. I decided that I would carry on the tradition of the Black Bottom Pie.

My first attempt to make the pie was a laughable disaster. I had copied the recipe from Sara's notes into my computer first, and had made a serious mistake. I had copied 1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch as 1 1/2 cups. My custard congealed immediately into a gloppy mess. A review of Sara's notes revealed the mistake. That I didn't catch it as I went shows what a rookie I was in the kitchen.

As I prepare to retire from teaching at Otterbein, with Roger Wiley already retired (sort of), and with the tee-totalling influence dwindled to just about imperceptible, I believe it is now time to reveal the recipe to the world. As I suggested, it is in truth not much different from what could be found from other sources, but, nonetheless, here it is.

BLACK BOTTOM PIE RECIPE

This recipe came from Dr. Fred Bamforth who taught in the Otterbein College Mathematics Department from 1945 to 1958 and again from 1962 to 1968. It was passed on to David Deever, who taught in the department part time from 1963 to 1966 and full time from 1971 to 2001. It has been a tradition at departmental and college gatherings over that time. Slight modifications were made by David Deever.

CRUST

8 oz. crisp ginger snaps (to make 1 1/2 cup when crushed) 5 tbs melted butter

Preparation. Roll out ginger snaps fine. Add butter and put evenly in a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 10 minutes at 300°F. Allow to cool.

FILLING

2 cups milk 4 eggs divided as follows:     yolks for custard     whites for meringue 3/4 cup sugar divided as follows:     1/4 cup for custard     1/2 cup for meringue 1-1/2 tsp corn starch 2 squares chocolate divided as follows: *See alternate use below     1-1/2 squares (melted) for bottom layer     1/2 square for sprinkles on top 1 tsp vanilla 1 tbs gelatin 4 tbs cold water 1/4 tsp tartar 2 tbs rum whipped cream or non-dairy substitute.

Custard: Scald milk (heat to 185°F), add beaten egg yolks slowly. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1-1/2 tsp cornstarch. Cook in double boiler for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally until it generously coats a spoon. Remove and take out 1 cup.

Bottom Layer: To the 1 cup of custard add 1-1/2 squares chocolate (melted) and beat well. (*Alternately, use 2 melted squares in bottom layer and store-bought chocolate fancies on the top.) As custard cools add 1 tsp vanilla, pour it into crust and chill.

Top Layer: Blend 1 tbs gelatin and 4 tbs cold water and add to remaining hot custard. Let cool but not thick. Beat egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 tsp tartar into a meringue and fold into custard. Add 2 tbs rum. As soon as chocolate custard has set add this. Chill again until it sets.

Finish: Spread whipped cream (or substitute) over top of pie. Shave and sprinkle 1/2 square of chocolate (or chocolate fancies) over top.

Don't use a food processor on the ginger snaps; it gets them too fine and the resulting crust is too hard. A "lumpy" crust is OK.

A microwave works fine for melting the chocolate but be careful not to burn it. Stop while it is still lumpy and stir.

The custard is done cooking when it begins to seem a bit thicker than at first and the first hint of tiny bubbles appear at the edge. The hotter the milk you start with the less time this will take.