Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: February 1st, 2008
Amish Stuff, Intercourse, PA, 1965
A man half-hides behind a redheaded woman posing before a rural, roadside billboard for the Dutch Haven Barn Gift Shop. The colorful, multi-font display promotes Amish stuff, shoo-fly-pie and free intercourse!
Everyone likes a bargain but let’s face it - it’s always better when you can get it for free!
And what exactly is shoo-fly-pie? Anyone have a good recipe for it?
Here’s to all the Amish stuff the Dutch Haven Barn has to offer and you!
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
February 2008
26 Comments on “Amish Stuff, Intercourse, PA, 1965”
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February 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I have actually had shoofly pie in Intercourse PA before….and it was great. Here’s a recipe I found online: http://www.amishnews.com/amisharticles/shooflypie.htm
I used to chaperone an 8th grade trip to the East Coast and we would always take a couple of days in Amish Country and spend quite a bit of it in Intercourse. Our students would always buy the same souvenir…baseball caps that said, “I love Intercourse!” We’d then head on to Washington D.C. and we chaperones would hang our heads in shame as we toured our nation’s capital with 40 kids wearing those damned caps. But it was funny. : )
February 1st, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Shoo Fly Pie is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dessert. Brown sugar, molasses, shortening, salt, and spices were all non-perishable ingredients that could survive the long ocean’s crossing to America made by German immigrants. The pie’s unusual name is said to be due to the fact that pies were traditionally set to cool on windowsills, and due to the sweet ingredients, the cook would constantly have to shoo the flies away
1 unbaked 9″ pie crust
Crumb Topping:
1 C flour
1/2 C light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 C butter
Liquid Bottom
1 C boiling water
1/2 C light molasses
1/2 C dark corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg, beaten
whipped cream for topping
Note:
You can make this pie using a full cup of molasses instead of the molasses/corn syrup mixture, but I find the flavor to be a little stronger than my liking, which is why I recommend the mixture.
Serves 6-8
Preheat oven to 325° F. Mix the crumb topping ingredients together with a pastry blender until well mixed and mixture resemble fine crumbs. Set aside. Crumb topping is a bit of misnomer as the crumbs will be absorbed into the liquid bottom layer, but we’ll get to this later.
Mix molasses and corn syrup, add boiling water and stir to mix. Add baking soda and beaten egg and mix well. Spoon into an unbaked piecrust. Spoon the crumb mixture over the top of the pie. Place the pie on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil ) trust me, if the pie shell overflows you don’t want burning sugar syrup all over your oven) and bake for about 40 minutes or until pie is medium set and dark brown. Serve warm or chilled, top with whipped cream.
February 1st, 2008 at 12:23 pm
where oh where do you find these? They’re fantastic!
February 1st, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Hi Charles,
Here’s what I found out about Shoo Fly Pie from a dessert web site:
“Shoo Fly Pie is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dessert. Brown sugar, molasses, shortening, salt, and spices were all non-perishable ingredients that could survive the long ocean’s crossing to America made by German immigrants. The pie’s unusual name is said to be due to the fact that pies were traditionally set to cool on windowsills, and due to the sweet ingredients, the cook would constantly have to shoo the flies away.”
Sounds so sweet it makes my teeth hurt. Also, for the lazy baker who is less diligent about shooing the flies away, it would be covered in fly vomit. God Bless Dinah Shore.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Hukilau.
Best, ron
February 1st, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Shoo Fly Pie: First you take a ton of sugar, add a few gallons of corn syrup and molasses and a few spices and bake… The name says it all. I tried it while in Amish County and thought my teeth were going to fall out it was so sweet.
By the way, I bought a refrigerator magnet while visiting which, in addition to the town of Intercourse, PA, also lists the town of Blue Ball, among others…. Listen, with no electricity, those nights are long around there!
February 1st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
we have a good recipe for shoo fly pie if you’re really interested…
February 1st, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Shoe Fly Pie is like pecan pie without the pecans but with molasses.
Love that ad for “Amish stuff.”
February 1st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
This is a most bodacious sign in my home state of good ole PA. I have never been to intercourse because they have changed their name before I was of an age to know such places existed. Lets all get up and dance to a song that was a hit before your mother was born!
February 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Hey Charles–shoofly pie is a molasses pie that they eat down south, and, I guess, in PA. Here’s an article and a recipe:
http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/17043
my wife and I are gonna try to go on one of your upcoming tours. Can’t wait!
x0
Richard
February 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pm
There is a road sign on the way to Intercourse that points the way to detour through Blue Ball.
February 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
What is that partially hidden word behind their heads… “free Intercourse drops? mops? shops? stops?” It boggles the mind. Those goofy Amish folk!!!
February 1st, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Did you know that you have to go through ‘Paradise’ and ‘Blue Ball’ to get to Intercourse? The names in Amish country are much fun. As you can imagine the sign as you enter the town of Intercourse is a popular photo sight.(Intercourse is where two roads cross over each other) We enjoy your emails and hope to take one of your Disneyland tours soon!
February 1st, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Authentic Pennsylvania Dutch Shoo Fly Pie
1/2 c Baking Molasses
1/2 ts Baking Soda
3/4 c Flour
2 tb Butter
1/8 ts Ground Ginger
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1 ea Pastry for 9 inch pie
1 ea Egg Yolk
3/4 c Boiling Water
1/2 c Brown Sugar
1/8 ts Nutmeg
1/8 ts Ground Cloves
1/4 ts Salt
Dissolve soda in boiling water and add to egg and molasses. Set aside. Stir dry ingredients together, mixing well. Cut in shortening until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Pour molasses into pie shell. SprinklE crumbs evenly over top. Do not stir. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes longer. Cool and serve.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:32 pm
As of 2006, the official bumper sticker of Pennsylvannia is “I Break for Soofly Pie”. p.s. Cindy, I believe the partially hidden word is Maps!
February 1st, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Shoo Fly Pie is a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dessert. Brown sugar, molasses, shortening, salt, and spices were all non-perishable ingredients that could survive the long ocean’s crossing to America made by German immigrants. The pie’s unusual name is said to be due to the fact that pies were traditionally set to cool on windowsills, and due to the sweet ingredients, the cook would constantly have to shoo the flies away.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Sure you will receive numerous replies regarding shoofly pie, so here is another
Pastry for a l-cruse 9-inch pie
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 rounded tablespoon cold butter
1/4 teasp. salt
1 egg
1 cup light molasses
3/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350. Roll out the pie pastry and line a 9 inch pie pan; set aside
In a food processor bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt. Remove l/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Transfer the rest to a medium mixing bowl.., In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly. Add the molasses and cold water, and blend but do not beat; you don’t want
bubbles in the batter. Set aside
In a small bowl, mix the hot water with the baking soda and blend into the molasses mixture. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Pour into the pie shell and top with the reserved crumbs. Bake for 35 minutes. The pie will appear quivery but will firm up as it cools. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before cutting
From “New recipes from Quilt Country”
Love your Friday postings!
February 1st, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Shoo-fly pie is a concoction popular in Pennsylvania Dutch country, and is a pie made predominantly with molasses. I suspect the cloying sweetness could attract flies, hence the name. I made one once, at my dad’s request, and was thoroughly disappointed. But I guess if you’re a fan of molasses, it’s a treat.
February 1st, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Hi,
I think it says Free Intercourse Maps. Wow! I am surprised the Amish allowed such a sign!
February 1st, 2008 at 9:47 pm
My mom grew up in Pennsylvania. My understanding is that the name came from how it was baked. It is real sweet, with lots of molasses and, if I recall correctly, brown sugar. Thus flys would be attracted and the term stuck…”Shoo Fly” as if telling the flies to go away while preparing.
I had a great aunt in PA who used to go to a shop and pay for frozen pies to be shipped to us in California. In spite of not being fresh they still tasted great. Once or twice as an adult I have baked the pie from scratch yet I have never been able to equal what was baked in Pennsyvania.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:47 pm
It looks like you have received many great recipes for shoofly pie - so I won’t add another one, but did you know that you can order shoofly pie online from Dutch Haven? They have a Ship-A-Pie link right there on the site!
http://www.dutchhaven.com/
Apparently they’re still using the same recipe from 1946. Who knew you could have real Amish goodness shipped to your door for only $29.95! Now if I could just get Jakey’s Amish Barbeque (seriously, it’s a link on the site - you must check out the logo…) shipped with it, I’d have a complete Amish dinner!
February 2nd, 2008 at 7:33 am
That’s funny, I know exactly where Dutch Haven is (just about a 30 minute drive from where I sit). Amazing with everything that has changed in the area, the things that stay the same. Several pivotal scenes from the Harrison Ford movie “Witness” were filmed in Intercourse, including the scene in which he clocks the local “ice cream” bully.
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Needless to say, the name of that town has provoked many a joke over the years, some of which I heard when I was in college in the early 60s. Naturally I had to go there so that I could send these friends picture postcards with the simple message, “Now do you believe me?”
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Did you know that there are at least two varieties of shoo fly pie? There’s “wet bottom” and there’s “dry bottom”. “Dry bottom” doesn’t have as much molasses under the crumb cake. And - this will make purists shudder - you can get *chocolate* shoo fly pie these days.
On the other hand, you can drive down the road, stop at a card table, buy a bagful of tomatoes or fresh veggies, and pay the basket. Honor system, and you make your own change. It’s still going on.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Charles,
another fabulous slide. I did not know what shoofly pie was but I did know that singer Dinah Shore [from Nashville, Tennessee, Hume-Fogg High School Class of 1939] had a big hit in 1944 with a popular song called “Shoo Fly Pie”. Look and listen for it using an online search.
T. Bird
February 5th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
A friend of mine from that area once told me…
Virginia may be for lovers but Pennsylvania has intercourse!
March 11th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Shoo-fly Pie
1 cup unsifted flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup veg shortening,cut into 1/4″ bits
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup dark molasses
1 unbaked 9″ pie shell
Preheat oven to 375. To prepare crumb topping,combine the flour,brown sugar,and shortening in a bowl.
Rub together with fingertips until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
In a deep bowl,dissolve the baking soda in boiling water. Then add the corn syrup and molasses. Stir to blend well.
Pour the mixture into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle the crumb topping over top.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 25 minutes longer or until filling is set
and does not quiver when pan is gently shaken.
Cool pie to room temp before serving.