It was Vincent’s birthday last week and rummaging around in my drafts folder, I found this account of making his rhubarb pie. This was written in May 2023, and it’s a weird feeling that although I got my rhubarb from Hastings, I had no idea that a few months later, I’d be living here! It’s strange what can happen when you decide on the place you want to spend the rest of your life and suddenly, it happens!
Posting this now has also been prompted by exciting news about a forthcoming documentary about the Master of Menace. It features interviews with lots of folks who worked with the great man and should be out in the Autumn. I am EXCITED. Thanks to Margie for the tip-off.
I returned from Coronation weekend at the seaside with a big bunch of beautiful rhubarb picked from Jane and Trix’s garden.
What to do with it? A quick scan of the movie star recipes spreadsheet provided the answer – Vincent’s Rhubarb Chess Pie from Come Into the Kitchen.
I googled chess pie because it’s an alien concept here in the UK, and I kept thinking about the raised pie on a Great British Bake Off I saw recently that had a chessboard pattern of foodstuffs inside.
There are two other chess pies on the spreadsheet, one from the kitchen of Sally Blane and one from Loretta Young. I might have a go at the latter at some point. Anyhow, here’s what the internet told me
I made a schoolgirl error by selecting a mad flan tin that was almost the right diameter but was MUCH TOO SHALLOW. My pie was super thin, and I had LOADS of mixture left over. I shouldahaddabiggerpan. But the pie was still tasty. Like a little thin-crust pizza only with rhubarb in it!
The filling itself was really good, so I would do this again,
but I’d have to get my head RIGHT INTO the big low cupboard in my kitchen to see if I have a proper pie tin around the place. I must do it! Vincent would have had the appropriate tin for every kind of pie, I reckon.
Saucepan envy….
Weirdly, just as I was about to publish this I was reading a post by one of my newsletter readers, Sherrie. She writes a lovely newsletter about seasonal life in Nova Scotia and her most requested recipe is one for Rhubarb Custard Squares. They look so good and a little bit similar to Vincent’s Chess Pie – here’s a link and here’s a pic.
Yum, yum. Who’s got some rhubarb?!
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10 responses
I do not have fresh rhubarb this spring, because I dug up my plant and transplanted it! But… I still have frozen rhubarb. I’m going to make a cherry-rhubarb cobbler this weekend!
Ooooh, lovely! I had to look up what a cobbler is, not a “thing” here in the UK, but now I want one! x
I do not have fresh rhubarb this spring, because I dug up my plant and transplanted it! But… I still have frozen rhubarb. I’m going to make a cherry-rhubarb cobbler this weekend!
Ooooh, lovely! I had to look up what a cobbler is, not a “thing” here in the UK, but now I want one! x
The pie looks wonderful! Looking at Vincent’s kitchen, I think I’m beyond just saucepan envy and have full blown kitchen envy. 😀
Me too, A! Isn’t it GLORIOUS! No wonder he spent so much time cooking, I’d never leave it…
The pie looks wonderful! Looking at Vincent’s kitchen, I think I’m beyond just saucepan envy and have full blown kitchen envy. 😀
Me too, A! Isn’t it GLORIOUS! No wonder he spent so much time cooking, I’d never leave it…
I had NO idea there was a Vinnie documentary being made!!!!!!! Thank you so much for mentioning it!
Exciting isn’t it?! I can’t wait. Hope all is tickety-boo with you. Planning a Vincent Price watch party over at silverscreensuppers.substack.com on 30th November – hope you can join us xx