All Derby meals need some sweets to round out the day’s festivities.  For many, the dessert of choice is “Derby Pie,” or some close facsimile thereof.  Please note, Derby-Pie® is trademarked (a little more on that in a bit), and the only means to that particular pie is to order direct from Kern’s Kitchen.  For the masses who don’t want to pay the Kern’s premium price but want the taste, you must utilize one of the facsimile recipes that abound – which is fine by me.  In fact, I’ve taken it to a different format, and propose that the perfect finger dessert is what I’m dubbing “Derby Bourbon Tassies.”

I’m hoping most readers will be able to discern what a ‘tassie’ is.  But should you be a know not, then fear not.  The term is a derivative of an old French word “tasset,” or what is a small pouch or cup.  In the baking world, that translates into a tiny pastry cup that is filled with something like pecan filling, lemon curd, a custard or other fruit fillings; in fact, most bakers consider it a type of cookie.  I happen to LOVE tassies (love, love).  On the few occasions my mother would make her ‘pecan cups’ (usually a ladies’ luncheon – not for the kids), I gobbled however many I could get away with!  Even more appealing is that tassies are not just sweet fare, but make fabulous savory appetizers as well with perfect fillings being pimento cheese, crab salad, and sauteed mushrooms to name a few.

So what’s the deal with this trademarked Derby-Pie®?  The history lesson here goes something like this:  what is now known as Derby-Pie® was invented some 50+ years ago as a specialty item at The Melrose Inn, located in Prospect, Kentucky.  Then manager George Kern was the driver behind the secret recipe, with assistance from his parents.  It was officially named after the family members tossed names into a hat; ‘Derby Pie’ was the slip that was drawn.  The recipe is a guarded secret, and that chocolate nut pie is now a famously trademarked item too – one that is vigorously policed by Kern Kitchens and its attorneys to this day.  Hence, nobody can call the pie “Derby Pie,” which just frustrates the hell out of folks.

But as I said, that’s alright by me.  There are a plethora of look-a-like recipes out there that try to capture the specialness of the Derby-Pie®.  You might see titles such as:  Kentucky Bourbon Pie, Kentucky Nut Pie, Run for the Roses Pie, Pegasus Pie, etc.  The basic formula is a blend of chocolate and nuts (walnuts or pecans) that go into a pie shell, along with a brown sugar, butter and egg filling similar to that of pecan pie.  Some recipes add a touch of bourbon, others don’t.  Do I liquor up my tassies?  Absolutely!  My nut cups get bourbonized, big time …

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