Atlantic Beach Pie

Pre-Post Script: It is most likely that, if you are reading this, the following is not about you.

Staying honest, I had never heard of Bill Smith until his name showed up before the words, “atlantic,” “beach,” and -the real eye-catcher- “pie,” under my thumb. Wasting time on social media.

It starts with an ampersand,

&

I love you, and

that is the most important thing.

Eventually, we [ ] again. And also eventually, there is pie again.

Sugared saltine crush glued golden with butter and heat. Citrus and sweetened condensed milk custard. Couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. Cream. I decided Cool Whip. Dollop of fluff, and then salty. That part comes across first. Debating, I suggest you sprinkle that last ingredient for yourself.

It could be like anything else you have had to decide upon because it was probably the best you could do at the time, and nobody gets to understand it better than you, and it doesn’t really matter who sees what because it is yours until you let it move on to wherever else it is supposed to go when it no longer belongs to you + its remnants end up crumbs from way back when

because it’s okay if it was delicious at a point in time & perhaps when you are ready it can just mark a trail of how far you have traveled like crumbs do, anyway, if you want them to.

One Year: The Best Peanut Butter Cookies
Two Years: NYT Mac and Cheese
Three Years: Spaghetti with Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Four Years: Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Toffee, Marshmallows, and Smoked Sea Salt

Atlantic Beach Pie
Adapted from Food 52
Makes one 8-9-inch pie

Crust:
1 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers (about 6 ounces or 60 crackers)
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar

Filling:
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice or a mix of the two

To serve:
Cool Whip, thawed, for garnish
Coarse sea salt (optional), for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Crush the crackers finely, but not to dust. You can use a food processor or your hands. Add the sugar, then knead in the butter until the crumbs hold together like dough. Press into an 8-inch pie pan. Chill for 15 minutes, then bake for 18 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. While the crust is cooling (it doesn’t need to be cold), beat the egg yolks into the milk, then beat in the citrus juice. It is important to completely combine these ingredients. Pour into the shell and bake for 16 minutes until the filling has set. The pie needs to be completely cold to be sliced. Serve with Cool Whip and a sprinkling of sea salt, if using.