Many years ago my dad rented the Brown Palace next door to the same people every summer. They took good care of the place, cleaned it within an inch of its life. One summer friends of theirs came from Indiana to visit and those two women made some kind of pie every single day.

I think of summer as pie season because it's when the local fresh fruits come onto the market. These particular pies are year-round recipes; the ingredients are usually in your pantry. When I'm baking a cherry or peach pie, I'll usually make something like this as a second pie while I've got the oven going. Described as a spicy custard pie, Bob Andy pie is supposedly named after a pair of reliable Amish draft horses: "this pie is as good as Bob and Andy."

Bob Andy Pie
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together very well and pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Pie will quiver. This is ok! The top will be puffed up when you remove the pie from the oven and will fall down after it has cooled. Best served at room temperature.


Raisin Custard Pie
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Combine the sugars, flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, and mix well. Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour filling into the shell. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes. When the side of the pan is tapped, the center should still wobble like gelatin. Cool on a rack.