I have heard it said for years that how many foggy days there are in August will determine how many snows you will have for the winter. If that is the case, everyone in my arear had better start stocking up for Armageddon now. I don’t think I have seen this many foggy mornings in many a year.
There are many old sayings in the Appalachians and there must be something to them for they have lasted this long. Momma Said, “I always forget to count so I will have to take it as gospel.” I don’t know who took the time to count and then compare but it must have some merit.
It is just like dowsing for water, there is another mystery as to how that came about. For those who do not know what dowsing for water is, you take two wires bent in the shape of the letter “L”, hold them gently in your hands, walk around and the wires will cross when you get over a good water source. This is how water for a well was found. Momma Said, “It must work because it is still used today to find water.”
The herbalists will tell you that Appalachia is filled with stories about how to cure illnesses, find water, procure your own food off the land and many other so-called myths that have turned out to be facts. Momma Said, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, these so-called myths have worked for years.” The only thing wrong with them is main-stream Big Pharma can’t make millions off them so they are written off as fairy tales from the Hillbillies. Believe it or not, they work.
Whole Lemon Tart
Ingredients
1 pie crust
1 medium lemon (about 4 ½ oz/130 g), washed
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup butter, softened
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
To Blind Bake the Tart Crust
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Roll out the pie crust and line a 9-inch tart pan with it. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
Bake the pie crust about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for a further 5–10 minutes, until the base is lightly golden. Set aside.
To Make the Whole Lemon Filling
Halve and quarter the whole lemon, removing and discarding any seeds.
Add the lemon, granulated sugar, and butter to a food processor and process until very smooth, about 4–5 minutes.
Add the eggs, egg yolk, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt and process until fully combined.
To Bake the Whole Lemon Tart
Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart crust and place the tart pan on a baking sheet.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the center when tapped.
Let the tart cool completely at room temperature before chilling in the chill for 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy served with freshly whipped cream. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
