The Real Meringue Pie

May 10, 1983


4 eggs, room temperature, separated
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 T. cornstarch
dash salt
1 c. water
grated peel of 1 used car (lemon)
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Line a 9" pie tin with oiled foil. Beat egg whites on high with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff and glossy peaks form. Bake in a preheated oven at 275*, after spreading the meringue over bottom and sides of foil 1 " thick. Bake 1 hour, reduce heat to 200* and bake another hur until dry and firm. Turn oven off,leaving shellin oven to cool.
 Meanwhile, combine gelatin, cornstarch, salt, and remaining sugar in a small saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring,until boiling. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks and pour 1/2 of the gelatin mixture back into the yolks while stirring. Stir yolk mixture into gelatin pan. Cook over lo until thickened and almost boiling. Remove from heat and stir in half of peel and all of the lemon juice. Beat cream on medium until soft peaks form. Remove half for garnish. Fold remaining lemon mixture into remaining whiped cream. Carefully peel foil from egg shelll. Fill with lemon mixture, top with whipped cream and sprinkle on remaining peel. Chill 2 hours. Garnish...TAKES ALL DAY

An excerpt from my diary Friday May 1978
 I'll wake you for school in 20 minutes. Yeah! Friday! You get to stay up later and eat junk food, call your friends, ah, the simple life of childhood.
 You do need disciplin on housework tho. There are crickets and shoes everywhere. The sun is coming up and the beauty is awesome. The sky is pink with a few puffy white clouds.

This recipe goes out to Lost Springs, Ks. My daughters attended school there a short time when we lived in Antelope, Ks.

Paul Revere and the Raiders are playing on the radio, 103 fm.