What’s the attraction?
“They’re honest-to-goodness homemade desserts,” says Penny Pittman, the Washington County eatery’s owner since 1992. “Some of the recipes are 100 or more years old, and all of them are original to when Gertie Weaver started the restaurant.”
Such comfort food means fresh ingredients, down-to-earth recipes, and straightforward methods—the kind of dishes Mom would make if she knew how to cook.
“Our most-famous desserts are our raisin-filled cookies and our cream pies,” says Pittman.
WEAVER’S CHOCOLATE CREME PIE
Pre-bake one 9-inch pie shell
FOR THE CHOCOLATE FLAVOR:
In a small saucepan, combine:
1/4 c. Hershey’s cocoa
1 c. granulated sugar
1 T. King syrup
Add just enough water to make a smooth mixture. Cook and stir the mixture over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. DO NOT BOIL. Set aside.
FOR THE FILLING:
1/4 c. cornstarch
1 can evaporated milk
8 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 T. butter or margarine
2 2/3 c. milk
Combine cornstarch with enough evaporated milk to make a creamy mixture. Stir in egg yolks and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine regular milk, sugar, and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. (The texture should be smooth and creamy.)
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate mixture, a small amount at a time, until you get the desired flavor (you may or may not use all the chocolate).
Pour mixture into the pre-baked pie shell and set aside.
FOR THE MERINGUE:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 T. sugar
With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy.
Gradually add sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until mixture is stiff and shiny.
Gently spread meringue onto the top of the pie, making sure to cover the surface entirely and go all the way to the edges. Swirl the meringue to make the pie decorative.
Bake at 325 degrees until meringue is light brown. Cool at room temperature.
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