Sandy Mush
She came in from the kitchen with an apple pie in one hand and a jar of sourwood honey in the other.
“Now, if you want something tasty,” she said, “Take a piece of this apple pie and spread some honey over it.”
The pie was hot and golden, with a roof on, and the sourwood honey had the look of liquid sunshine.
Mrs. Florence Alexander put the pie and the honey on the table. “This is fresh apple pie,” she said. “Made with fresh apples. And it’s right out of the oven. Apple pie’s good most any way, but I like it hot. Especially, when you put honey on it. But hot or cold, it’s got to have a spread of honey.”
“Now, don’t tell me you’ve never eaten apple pie with honey. Law, me, you don’t know what you’ve missed. Why there’s nothing like it. I wouldn’t hardly have it no other way.”
Mrs. Alexander smiled and there was a twinkle in her blue eyes. She picked up a knife and began slicing the pie into wedges. “I just can’t believe you’ve lived this long and never had apple pie with honey. It’s the only way my daddy would eat it. If there wasn’t a jar of honey to go with it he wouldn’t touch it.”
“Mama always said he only kept bees so he could have honey for his apple pie. And he was particular about the kind of honey that went on it. It had to be sourwood. Pure sourwood.”
“When you mention putting honey on apple pie to some folks that never have tried it they look at you like you’re plumb crazy. But you should see the look that comes to their face when they take a bite. All surprised-like. And then they’ll tell you they didn’t know anything could be so good.”
—John Parris – Mountain Bred
I’ve never eaten apple pie with honey on it, but you can bet I’m going to be trying it to see if I like it as much as Mrs. Alexander.
I like the line describing the pie: hot golden, with a roof on. Pap always asked if we wanted a lid on our toasted cheese when he was making them 🙂
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a used copy of Mountain Bred written by John Parris. I wish someone would reprint all of John Parris’s books. They are hard to find because they’ve been out of print for so long. The hardback copies I have are just fine, but pretty much all of the paper backed ones have come unglued along the spine, just as this copy has. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. *Giveaway ends November 25, 2022.
Last night’s video: Firewood & Hot Chocolate Around the Woodstove in Appalachia.
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sourwood honey is my favorite!
Found some sourwood honey at a country store a few years back. I really couldn’t tell the difference. Would like to try it on the apple pie – but then it’s hard to improve on apple pie.
Sounds like a good book.
My birthday is approaching and now I know how I’m going to treat myself!
I’m convinced to try homemade apple pie with my husband’s home-raised honey for our 35th anniversary celebration on the 27th!
That would be a good book to have!!!! I have never heard of honey with apple pie.
This chapter mentions Sandy Mush. I found that interesting as my folks live close to there. I would like to share a special memory with you. When I would visit my grandpa on his farm, I enjoyed watching him pour a big serv ing of honey with a chunk of honey comb on his buttered biscuit. The biscuit drowned in a golden puddle of honey. Sweet memories.
Jacqueline-thank you for sharing that memory 🙂
This sounds like a great combination, apple pie with sourwood honey drizzled on it, Mountain Bred to read, and a good warm fire to sit in front of. My Mama showed me what sourwood blooms look like. Sourwood honey was her favorite. She shared so many wise teachings with me. I sure do miss her.
My specialty has been apple crisp. It’s a family favorite. Thanks for this new treat that I’ve never tried before. I’ll put it on my “to do” list.
Sounds like a honey of a dessert. This book sounds like a great read.
Apple Pie is delicious, and home made with two crusts is best. I like mine with vanilla ice cream or sharp cheddar cheese. Like honey a lot , on biscuits is best. I will try it on apple pie. Hope You all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Well, Tipper, wouldn’t you know a friend brought me an apple pie at lunch today! From the grocery but it’s not bad. I’ll have to try some honey on it.
I just discovered book finder.com today. I was looking for something else but they have reference to where a lot of John Parris books can be found. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Wow! Honey on apple pie, definitely gonna try this on Thanksgiving! Love the writing.
My grandmother and mother would make apple cobbler pies also along with other fruit and sweet potatoes in a round deep sided white enamel pan. The pies would be juicy and have dough balls (dumplings) in them. The apples came from a tree they called a horse apple tree and were only good for cooking, drying or making jelly. Man, I would give a pretty penny and even a shiny nickel to have one of those pies again and topped with some vanilla ice cream.
The Lord has blessed me to live into my ninth decade, but I’ve never had honey on apple pie. Until now my favorite way to eat hot apple pie is with vanilla ice cream. Before I left NC, it was Pine State vanilla; but now that I live in Texas, it’s Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla.
Next hot apple pie I encounter I will try with honey . . . sourwood if’n I can find it. I will also try it with honey AND Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream.
My granny used to make apple pie including honey as part of the sweetener but we didn’t ever try putting honey on top. I am a fan of cottage cheese on top of the “lid”. I think adding honey on top of that would be mighty delicious. Of course I always add honey to my chamomile tea. It’s good for my nerves & for my sinuses. Anyway I will definitely try putting some honey on my apple pie. Would love to win the book of course. Tipper, thanks for all your hard work. I read every blog & watch every video but sometimes I am a day or 2 late so it’s usually too late to comment.
I’ve never had honey on apple pie, but I ‘ll bet it’s good!
Never hard of honey on apple pie, but I will definitely try it since I love honey. Always eat my peanut butter sandwich with honey on it & love it on my biscuits. My family always called the second piece of bread for a sandwich a lid, too. My friend puts butter & honey on her cornbread, but I don’t won’t anything to mess up my cornbread. If you don’t have cornbread with beans, peas or greens it is like a bride without a groom as far as I’m concerned. Hope everyone has a safe, healthy Happy Thanksgiving!
We eat our cornbread with homemade maple syrup, up around my way. Course living in NY, maple syrup goes on most anything!
A big steaming chunk of cornbread made out of my homegrown, home-ground cornmeal & syrup from my trees! Can’t get anything better than that. The ‘real’ cornmeal makes a completely different taste than any you can get from the store. Never will eat a Jiffy Mix again, if’n I can help it.
I love the title. Mountain Bred has a story on its own.
I’ve eaten lots of homemade apple pie in my life. Mom was a wonderful baker who always used her rendered lard for the crust. And I’ve had apple pie hot, cold, dried apples and fresh, with ice cream and with cheddar cheese but I’ll admit I’ve never had it with honey. You can bet I’m gonna change that as soon as I can.
I’d love to have a copy of a John Parris book. It would make great reading during the upcoming West Virginia winter.
Oh great, now I’m craving hot apple pie with honey on it. hahaha I also love to read John Parris and I am searching for a couple of his books now. You are right about being hard to find. Thanks Tipper for the good story.
I have an apple crisp going into the over right now. I will be trying honey over the top. I guess I will just drizzle it over the whole pan. I can’t imagine that making it bad – only good things come from honey.
I’ve never tried honey on apple pie either. Most folks I know prefer a scoop of vanilla ice cream with theirs. I wish they would print more of John Parris books too. My local library has a few but every time I try to check them out somebody already has them!
I’ve never had honey on an apple pie. Going to give this a try. Would love to get the book, too!
I would love to read this book! I’ve searched for and bought many of the books you’ve reviewed and recommended. And I’ve never been disappointed in your suggestions. I suppose if I don’t win this one, I’ll be looking for it too! I adore honey on my peanut butter sandwiches too.
I’ve never heard of honey on pie but it sounds yummy. I love honey. I buy it it from a cranberry farmer on my road so it’s very local. I love the excerpts you read from his books and other books.
That honey on hot apple pie sounds delicious. I love a slice of cheese melted on hot apple pie and I can just imagine how yummy that would be topped with honey!
I’ve never tried honey on apple pie, but after reading that description, I now have to try it. I’ve never heard of Sourwood Honey, but going to look for it. I use our local bee keepers honey and will have to ask them if they have heard of it and possibly can get me in touch with a bee keeper that has it.
Tipper, thank you for always sharing great stories that allow us to explore more of the Appalachia traditions that we haven’t really heard of before.
Sounds like a great way to eat apple pie.
Sourwood honey is absolutely my favorite! I have to have a teaspoon of it every day in my afternoon tea. It’s seasonal and a little hard to find, but I believe it comes into season around August. I make a special trip to the North Georgia mountains every fall to stock up on it. I’ve never tried it on apple pie, so that’s something I must do now. I’m not a big fan of regular apple pie, but I love the little tarty pies like my mom used to make and I can just imagine how yummy that would be. I think I see some baking in my future!
You bring the tea and I’ll bring the pie, dear cousin. Do you remember when we had a tea party in Uncle Comer’s yard, surrounded by blooming rhododendron? Mama and I sure did enjoy being with you and Ms. Dorothy!
Well, that’s the first time I have ever heard of honey on apple pie, but I will surely try it because I love them both! I like the reference to the pie having a roof on it. I enjoyed last night’s video. Sitting around a woodstove with the sounds of the wood burning and a mug of hot chocolate, just can’t get any better than that!! Have a great day everyone!!
Nothin better than a slightly tart apple pie, so I can imagine a drizzle of honey making it even better…….kind of like how your hot coco conversation, last night, made our evening even better! I told my husband “Matt adds to Celebrating Appalachia, like you added to our Thanksgiving prep!” …….we had 8 couples at our family Thanksgiving (on my husbands side) at our house this past Sat and my husband spent the evening before and morning of, in the kitchen helping me. It was so nice spending our first retired Thanksgiving preparing together, he was a huge help! Matt reminds me a lot of my husband.
Honey on warm apple pie sounds delicious. But honey on anything is delicious too. I do wish that some out of print books would be printed again, but there is something to be said about reading an original copy. I’ve never read anything from John Parris, yet.
oh I have to try this gonna make an apple pie this week already have the sour wood honey
Apple pie and honey I have never tried but I most certainly will next time I bake an apple pie. I am sure I won’t be using sourwood honey as I have never seen it or heard of it.
Eh lo, I have never tried honey on apple pie, but you bet I will now! Sounds so good “make your tongue slap your brains out ” as my daddy would always say! Good reads!
Every year for Thanksgiving my duty is to make a huge apple pie…with “a lid on it.” Although I do it every year, I still get nervous, wondering if it will “pass muster!” I’ve never heard of putting honey on it, but my mouth is watering at the thought!! I’m going to try it 🙂
We almost always had a jar of honey on the table when I was growing up. I can only remember mom making fried apple pies that never got drizzled with honey. I do remember mixing equal parts of honey and homemade butter to eat with my biscuit just like daddy did.
I’m definitely adding Mountain Bred to my book list. I like the title of the book too. All about growing up on a mountain sounds so inviting. Also want to find some sourwood honey. I had never heard of it and curious to try. Maybe on a slice of warm apple pie while reading this book. That would be a delight. Everyone have a wonderful day and a grateful and happy Thanksgiving
I’m not familiar with sourwood honey, but topping hot apple pie with some sounds like a delicious combination I’d love to try. Thank you for offering this giveaway of John Parris’s book.
Certainly an interesting combination, Tipper; as we have no native sourwood trees here in the Florida piney woods, I may have to try one of our local honey’s on the this recommended recipe. I have had sourwood and we have one here that comes from the gallberry bush which is found in and about our pine forests. It does have a “bit of a whang” or bite to it but will give it a try and give you some feedback. Thanks for continuing to brighten our horizons on new tastes and unknown new recipes to try …….
I can’t believe that I was just having sour wood honey with my breakfast!! I love it! We buy it local four miles from our home! Got to try on Apple Pie! Sounds delicious! Also love John Paris Books!!
I have never tried this before but the next time I make a homemade apple pie I will. I don’t have “local” honey, just commercial so that will have to do.
There is nothing that honey will not make better!
Sourwood honey is almost clear enough to see through the jar. Mrs. Alexander’s description only left out, “so good you have to hold the fork with both hands to prevent swallowing it too” “and so good you’ll want to slap your Mama for not telling you about this before”.
We gonna try that!
We New Englanders love a thick slice of extra sharp cheddar on the “roof” of a hot apple pie slice. The cheese is usually white. During and after the Revolutionary War, the 13 colonies didn’t want to be associated with England which colored their cheddar, so they made their own and left it white. Cabot Creamery in Vermont sells a white cheddar available here in East Tennessee.
The local Country Bakery in Cleveland, GA bakes an apple pie that has – I think – a hint of honey in it. I think maybe it is “wildflower” instead of sourwood but they have such a light hand with sugar and spices it is subtle. If I remember I’ll ask. Anyway, their apple pie (actually all their pies and everything else to) is very good. Assuming I’m right about the honey, I second the motion that they make a great combination.
I wonder how big a project it would be to compile Mr. Paris’ columns directly from the newspaper? Somebody knows if that is practical or not.
Apple pie with honey… Sounds delicious to me! I will definitely be giving it a try.
I’m getting me some sourwood honey and apple pie. Now if I only had a book to read while eating it.
I am not a pie eater. I prefer cakes, myself. I must say that this has me intrigued. I believe I could eat a slice of apple pie if it was warm and drizzled with honey! Pair that with a cup of coffee and a good book. Sounds like heaven.
I’ve never heard of honey on apple pie but w have to try it!!
Apple pie with honey sounds pretty good. I will have to try that.
I’ve never heard of sour wood honey. One of my favorite local restaurants serves an apple pie with a warmed honey and cinnamon sauce. It is out of this world.
Why Lord have mercy! There’s nothing more delicious than a fresh hot apple pie and although I’ve had a plunk of whipped cream atop my apple pie, there’s been no honey- YET! But it’s high on my list like yours, Mrs. Tipper! When I first got married I’d have trouble cutting my shortening into the flour which left poor husband to eat globs of floured shortening- which he did and smiled saying it was good!!! He was an encourager and always has been. BTW, the pictures you have at the start of this blog are all wonderful and beautiful pictures. I’m glad that’s your portrait QUILT I get to see. I like especially the one of you and Matt, the girls together, Corie’s wedding photo and the one of her and Austin learning from Dad with such intensity. God bless you all and for goodness sake, stay warm today!!!
I would love to read more from John Parris. His writings are difficult to find. Thanks for these November offerings!
I can’t wait to try honey on apple pie. I would love to win a copy of the book. I will look for a copy of the book on ABE Books a great site for finding used copies of books.
Well that’s an interesting combination, apple pie and honey, we’ve never tried that or sourwood honey for that matter. We’ll have to see if we can find some sourwood honey to try. Around here we buy our honey locally and usually get wildflower or basswood which are both very good.
Regarding your books, I don’t know if there’s any bindery or print shops in your area, but any old book can be taken in and reglued along the spine if they do book repair work. We’ve had some cherished books repaired years ago and the price wasn’t too bad.
A copy of this book would be a treasure! Love apple pie & honey! Why not. together. Enjoyed video last night of you and Matt around the fire. I’m so glad Matt is joining you. Good to get to know him. Take care and God bless ❣️
It’s pretty clear I need to find some sourwood honey!
I have to try that next time I bake an apple pie! Just bought some honey to make my cough syrup for the winter.
With a covered apple pie, I would love to try sourwood honey on my wedge. Sounds very yummy!
Oh my!!! I love this story about honey & apple pie!!! I must try that combination for sure. I want to find the Sourwood Honey! Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!!
Oops! Mountain BRED, not Mountain Road…see, I need to win that book. Ha-ha-ha!
I enjoyed that excerpt from Mountain Road. The dialog sounds so real! I also enjoyed cocoa by the wood stove with you and Matt. That was real, too.
I remember Daddy bringing in a quart of sourwood honey one time. He looked like he’d found a treasure!
Now I’m curious about honey on apple pie! I’d probably like it.
Well, I have never heard of honey on apple pie, but hey it sound worth a try. As I don’t want to have lived this long and not have had the good sense to give it a try. Reading your blog and watching your channel makes me feel like I have gone home to be with my people in GA. Blessings to you and yours.
Growing up in West Virginia we had bees never have I heard of honey on an Apple pie I am definitely going to try it now!
Yum, honey and apple pie! How could it not be a little slice of Heaven? Wonder what other surprises Mr. Parris has in his book for us?
We are beekeepers and the best honey our “girls” have ever made is sourwood. Because it’s so good we reserve it for eating a spoonful right out of the jar. Other types of honey, such as wildflower, we use in baking, sweetening tea, etc.
law be, I h’ain’t tried that before and I got bees and apple trees. this Thanksgiving I’ll have try some.
Tipper,
Mountain Bred sounds like a good read.
Bet that apple pie was extra sweet!
I love apple pie and sourwood honey is my favorite honey, but I have never tried them together. I have tried to find books by John Parris on some of the used book websites but never had much luck. I would enjoy reading more of his stories.
What combination of flavors. Yummy!
Well we live and learn. I will be making an apple pie and drizzle honey on it for sure. So far my favorite way to eat honey is on fried chicken but I ‘m going to try this for sure ♡ HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y’ALL.
I’ve tried a lot of different honeys, but not on apple pie yet. Sourwood is my favorite. I stock up on it when we go to the Mexican restaurant in Murphy, they sell their own brand of it. The Sourwood from Ingles is almost as good.
Sourwood trees are abundant here on the Cumberland Plateau and Sourwood honey has long been my favorite. I’ve never thought about putting it on apple pie,but I’ve sure eaten it on a lot of biscuits. I’ll have to try that soon.
My husband finally decided to stop driving his truck and is home a lot more than he used to be. He is absolutely enamored with your readings…we have now caught up with Dorie and Alex and your current Memoir readings…he has now decided, along with me, we need your hot chocolate recipe. I will look for it and am sure it will be as awesome as your others. Stay warm and well you guys and God Bless.
Hi Tipper, I would love a copy for my mother. We all live a long way from Appalachia now… in New Zealand… but she has still raised us knowing about a bit about the mountain ways.
Oooooo..never thought of honey on apple pie and I love sour wood honey. A definite must try.
Now that right there is a story that wants tellin!
How did a family from our beloved Appalachians get to New Zealand?
I’ll have to try honey on apple pie sometime, it sounds pretty good. I too wish Mr Parris books would be reprinted, he’s always been a favorite writer of mine, I remember reading his articles in the Asheville Citizen Times Newspaper several years ago. I would really like to win a copy of this book. I don’t think I have ever won anything, so I wrote the title down on my book wish list.
I will have to try honey on apple pie. As a beekeeper myself, we always have a jar of honey on the counter. It is good drizzled on a lot of things. I even like to put some in my coffee sometimes.
I would love to have a copy of one of John Parris’s books. What a treat that would be!
I’ve never heard of apple pie with honey on it, so I guess I need to try it. I can’t imagine it anything short of wonderful! I mean, apple pie is wonderful, and honey is wonderful, so it’s got to be good.