You know that old saying, "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"?Whoever popularized that statement might not have considered that something with vinegar in it could be sweet—delicious, even. But there's a somewhat-forgotten dessert called vinegar pie that proves that a little vinegar is nothing to fear. You might find it in your grandma's recipe scrapbook, or in the writings of author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Sure, it's humble. As with its culinary cousin chess pie, its ingredients list doesn't reveal much. But that only makes it all the more delightful to sink into a silky slice and be surprised by how nice it is.In this case, vinegar adds a tartness that perfectly finishes its custardy filling with lemon juice and vanilla. There's a reason this pie is beloved by the customers at Houston's Underbelly, where this rendition of the classic dessert was created by pastry chef Victoria Dearmound. And it's easy as, well, pie to whip up at home, too.
Its name may be perplexing, but it tastes like a million bucks. And if you make it, you're a lot more likely to catch sweet-toothed friends than flies.RECIPE: Vinegar Pie