Cornmeal, sorghum (both syrup and grain), pawpaws, pecans, buttermilk, sassafras, sweet potatoes: These became the engines that pushed all of that classic French technique to a purpose on my menus.

It's pretty easy to sing the praises of pie. The baked dish can be filled with a nearly endless variety of ingredients, be they sweet or savory. While classic recipes like ... Make a velvety filling ...