Entry from August 09, 2004
Nesselrode Pie
"Nesselrode pudding" was supposedly invented by the first "celebrity chef," the great Antonin Careme. However, "Nesselrode pie" appears to be a New York City original contribution.
Sadly, Nesselrode isn't much seen anymore. I found the earliest citations here for both "pudding" and "pie."
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Nesselrode
[< the name of Karl-Robert Vasil´evi Nessel´rode (1780-1862), Russian statesman, for whom the dish is said to have been invented by a French chef. Cf. French pudding à la Nesselrode (1918 or earlier).] More fully Nesselrode cream, pie, pudding. An iced dessert made with chestnuts, cream, preserved fruits, etc., and freq. flavoured with rum.
1840 R. H. BARHAM Ingoldsby Legends III. 247 There was nothing so good in the whole of the Feed..As the great Lumpoff Icywitz' Nesselrode pudding! 1845 E. ACTON Mod. Cookery xx. 525 Nesselrode Cream,..Chestnuts..sugar..isinglass..cream..vanilla [etc].
21 December 1944, New York Times, pg. 18:
If pies are on your list for holiday meals, some exceptionally good ones, made by Hortense Spiers, may be found at Hearn's sweet shop. One is a nesselrode, prepared with macaroons and fruits and flavored with rum; it is fourteen inches in diameter.
19 February 1945, New York Times, pg. 20:
A PIE NAMED AFTER A RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT
PHOTO CAPTION:The gentleman was Count Karl Robert Nesselrode, who lived from 1780 to 1862, and who lent his name to a rich pudding. Later the recipe was adapted for use in an ice cream, and recently it has begun to appear in a pie. The mixture of raisins, almonds, macaroon crumbs and brandy is poured into a baked pie shell and chilled. (...)
NESSELRODE PIE
1 tablespoon gelatin
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, separated
1/3 cup chopped raisins
2 tablespoons ground almonds
1 cup broken macaroons
1 tablespoon brandy or rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 baked nine-inch pie shell
Maraschino cherries
Soften gelatin in one-quarter cup milk. Scald remaining one and a quarter cups milk in the top of a double boiler. Beat egg yolks slightly, add milk, stirring, and return to double boiler. Add gelatin, and cook, stirring, till mixture coats spoon. Add raisins, almonds, macarooons, brandy or rum, vanilla and salt. Chill till beginning to set. Beat egg whites, add sugar and beat till stiff. Fold into gelatin mixture. Pour into a baked pie shell and chill till firm. Garnish with maraschino cherries. Serves eight.
7 December 1988, New York Times,. p. C20:
The Culinary Mystery of Nesselrode Pie
The once-popular dessert features pureed chestnuts
In the case of Nesselrode, the conclusion was that it had gone the way of baked Alaska.
Sadly, Nesselrode isn't much seen anymore. I found the earliest citations here for both "pudding" and "pie."
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Nesselrode
[< the name of Karl-Robert Vasil´evi Nessel´rode (1780-1862), Russian statesman, for whom the dish is said to have been invented by a French chef. Cf. French pudding à la Nesselrode (1918 or earlier).] More fully Nesselrode cream, pie, pudding. An iced dessert made with chestnuts, cream, preserved fruits, etc., and freq. flavoured with rum.
1840 R. H. BARHAM Ingoldsby Legends III. 247 There was nothing so good in the whole of the Feed..As the great Lumpoff Icywitz' Nesselrode pudding! 1845 E. ACTON Mod. Cookery xx. 525 Nesselrode Cream,..Chestnuts..sugar..isinglass..cream..vanilla [etc].
21 December 1944, New York Times, pg. 18:
If pies are on your list for holiday meals, some exceptionally good ones, made by Hortense Spiers, may be found at Hearn's sweet shop. One is a nesselrode, prepared with macaroons and fruits and flavored with rum; it is fourteen inches in diameter.
19 February 1945, New York Times, pg. 20:
A PIE NAMED AFTER A RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT
PHOTO CAPTION:The gentleman was Count Karl Robert Nesselrode, who lived from 1780 to 1862, and who lent his name to a rich pudding. Later the recipe was adapted for use in an ice cream, and recently it has begun to appear in a pie. The mixture of raisins, almonds, macaroon crumbs and brandy is poured into a baked pie shell and chilled. (...)
NESSELRODE PIE
1 tablespoon gelatin
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, separated
1/3 cup chopped raisins
2 tablespoons ground almonds
1 cup broken macaroons
1 tablespoon brandy or rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 baked nine-inch pie shell
Maraschino cherries
Soften gelatin in one-quarter cup milk. Scald remaining one and a quarter cups milk in the top of a double boiler. Beat egg yolks slightly, add milk, stirring, and return to double boiler. Add gelatin, and cook, stirring, till mixture coats spoon. Add raisins, almonds, macarooons, brandy or rum, vanilla and salt. Chill till beginning to set. Beat egg whites, add sugar and beat till stiff. Fold into gelatin mixture. Pour into a baked pie shell and chill till firm. Garnish with maraschino cherries. Serves eight.
7 December 1988, New York Times,. p. C20:
The Culinary Mystery of Nesselrode Pie
The once-popular dessert features pureed chestnuts
In the case of Nesselrode, the conclusion was that it had gone the way of baked Alaska.