Quite a controversy has embroiled gastronomes everywhere on Hub Pages, especially fans of my Spy-vs-Spy type acquaintance, the great Hubber B.T. Evilpants, who is surely a cousin of some sort to the incredibly clever P.T. Barnum, the entire Kellogg dynasty from Michigan, and Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

Poor Jackalope Evilpants has been avoiding and evading the evil Butter Tart Gang - whose mission it is to stuff butter tarts down his wee throat until he bursts - while I am still asking, "What is a butter tart?"

--A Canadian delicacy of some sort that must include a scrumptious pie crust and a dab of butter, at least.

Looking high and low worldwide and into the galaxy, where did I find some similar recipes, but among memories of my long-ago relatives that came over by sailing ship from London via Ireland and Scotland after the Revolutionary War.

These may not be butter tarts, but they are likely to be as close as I can get.

Please enjoy and let me know how they are.

The Beatles' Admiral Halsey

Admiral Halsey notified me

He had to have a berth or he couldn't get to sea

I had another look and I had a cup of tea and butter pie

(The butter wouldn't melt so I put it in the pie)...

Check the video to the right →

This is the English Butter Pie from the Beatles' song Admiral Halsey. Farm families used to make it often. This recipe does not call for nuts, but 1/2 cup chopped hazel nuts would be very good in this savory dish. English walnuts are another alternative.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds potatoes
• 4 large sweet onions (Spanish or Vidalia), sliced medium
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 Cup butter (melted), plus additional butter or oil to saute Onions
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 Cup milk
• 1/3 Cup flour
• 1 Cup heavy cream
• Pie crust of your choice

Method

• Peel the potatoes or leave skins on if you wish (sometimes I peel them but leave a bit of skin on here and there for texture).
• Slice potatoes very thin.
• Parboil potato slices in salted water 2 to 3 minutes & drain.
• Saute onions and garlic together in butter or oil just until soft.
• Layer potatoes and onion mixture in a 3-quart baking dish, sprinkling with salt and pepper over each layer and top.
• Gradually stir milk, half the cream and the melted butter into flour to form a paste.
• Pour milk mixture over potatoes.
• Prepare pie crust and roll it to fit the top of baking dish. Put it on top and crimp edges.
• Cut X air vent in the center of top crust.
• Brush top with additional cream.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and crust is golden brown.
• Remove from oven. Warm the rest of the cream, pour through the X, set aside 15 minutes and serve.

From the Temptations

Oooooooooooooooh!

Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch

You know that I love you

I can't help myself

I love you and nobody else...

There is a sugar pie in the video to the right →

Ohio Maple Sugar Pie

This was fast and easy on the farm!

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe for a single crust pie
• 1 8-inch pie plate.
• Light Brown Sugar or Maple Sugar
• 1/2 Cup chopped English Walnuts, if desired
• Cream
• Butter

How To:

• Place the crust into the pie dish neatly.
• Smooth 1/2 inch of brown maple sugar into the crust, covering the bottom. PLace walnuts evenly around the filling
• Moisten the sugar by dribbling 4 Tablespoons of heavy cream over the top evenly.
• Slice 1/4 Cup butter into slices and place evenly around the pie filling.
• Bake at 400 degees F 25 - 30 minutes or until done.

Ohio Farm Tarts (They have butter, but I know that can't be the same at Windsor, Ontario Butter Tarts. Poor Jackalope.)

Makes at least a dozen small tarts.

Ingredients

• 2 Whole eggs
• 1.5 Cups light brown or maple sugar
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 3 Tablespoons butter (melted)
• 1/2 Cup dried apples and apricots combination
• 1/2 cup chopped English walnuts
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• A dash of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Recipe for 1 pie crust

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the eggs until yellow and foamy.
• Add the sugar, honey, and melted butter and beat well.
• Add the fruit, nuts, vinegar, salt, and vanilla extract and mix well.
• Put cupcake cups (paper or foil) into muffin pans.
• Put small circles of rolled pie dough into the cups.
• Fill the crusts 2/3 full.
• Bake until the pastry is light golden brown, 15 - 20 minutes. If you can smell them strongly, they are probably already burnt!
• Cook less time if you want an oozier filling.