From: Marcia Adams, Heartland: The Best of the Old and the New from Midwest Kitchens (New York: Clarkson Potter, c1991)

The descendants of the Icarians meet annually in Nauvoo on the third weekend of July. At the Saturday lunch, a "French stew" is always served, followed by a green salad; the meal ends with rhubarb pie. The type of pie never varies; it was the Icarians who first brought rhubarb to Nauvoo, and it is served in their memory. This is a creamy-spicy version of an old country favorite.

Nauvoo Country Pie Pastry (recipe follows)
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk
3 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
Red food coloring (optional)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, cut in pieces

Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry and set aside. Preheat the oven to 300° F. In a large mixer bowl, beat the eggs. Add the sugars, flour, and spices; blend. Mix in the half-and-half, then the rhubarb. If desired, add enough red food coloring to tint the mixture a deep pink. Pour into the prepared shell and dot with butter. Roll on the top crust, crimp the edges, and slash the top to let the steam escape. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling up in the center. Remove from the oven to a rack to cool.

Makes 6 servings.

Nauvoo Country Pie Pastry

It is hard to beat pie crust made with lard; this old recipe came from a local Nauvoo church cookbook. I know lard pie crust isn't fashionable anymore, but somebody should record such a recipe somewhere, just for posterity. And maybe someday, somewhere, someone will decide to live a little and occasionally make a crust the old-fashioned way. I can't imagine it will actually decrease one's life span any more than the occasional martini does. So here is the recipe--just for posterity, of course.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold lard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

In a food processor bowl, process the flour, lard, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse flakes.

In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg, water, and vinegar, then pour over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to mass together to form a ball. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and work dough into a round shape.

Roll out immediately, or dough can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. (If refrigerated, allow the dough to soften for 20 minutes before rolling out.)

Makes pastry for an 8- or 9-inch 2-crust pie.

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