Better yet, I now have a batch at my home!
Wigwam Pie Sauce
Place on stove and heat to 180 degrees (do not boil)
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup half & half
1 cup water
In a separate pan, melt on slow heat 1/3 cup butter, slowly add 1/4 cup flour and stir well. Add 2/3 cup sugar and stir well. Then add one large or two small egg yolks
Turn up the heat on the egg mixture and slowly add the milk mixture from step #1.. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. When it starts to boil, remove from heat and put in another pan to cool. When it is cool, add 1 TSP vanilla. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
To use, reheat in double boiler, not on direct heat. Do not boil, as boiling will cause mixture to break.
Brandy may be substituted for vanilla.
My cousin wrote: "This custard sauce was served on hot apple pie at the Wigwam restaurant in Reno. Whenever we were downtown we had to stop in for hot apple pie and this famous sauce."
It is the best.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I walk into the kitchen, I am taste testing it!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Reno and was given this recipe from owner Les Lerude when he delivered pies to the Tri Delta sorority house in l964. He said that in the "early" years when apples were dried and not fresh, the pies were always made this way. My mother mastered his pie making - the key was using more rather than less cinnamon in the dried apples which brings out the flavor even more of his pie sauce.
ReplyDeleteBoth were served piping hot and as in the photograph above, the restaurant was generous, to say the least with the amount of sauce used. His "wigwam Pies" were known by all locals and we all mourned when he closed his wonderful cozy restaurant. He retired to Carson City and was always
gracious when someone called to chat or ask for the recipe. Ellen Roseman ellen@coopadopt.com
Thank you for that insight! Wigwam pie was an important part of Reno history! I is a common memory of many people!
ReplyDeleteThanks again for sharing!
We moved away from Reno when I was just 8 years old back in 1961. One of my fond memories of Reno was eating apple pie at the Wigwam. Thanks so much for posting the recipe for that yummy sauce. Now another generation will be able to enjoy it too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comment! I have made the recipe a few times and always get compliments on it! Nice to know so many people have great memories of the wigwam!
ReplyDeleteI do not have the words to express the joy of finding this recipe. I have the fondest of memories related to this. I am a native of Reno (46 years) My mother knew the owners of the original restaurant downtown and she was given this recipe many years ago but was lost when my father passed away. I have been looking everywhere for this. RGJ ran the recipe years ago but they were not even able to find it in the archives. Many thanks for giving me back the recipe that I will pas on to my children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found it! And I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting this! My mom grew up in Reno and has fond memories of sharing this pie with her dad. We're going to make the wigwam sauce for Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteThe real key to perfection on this recipe is rarely known. When made correctly whole Vanilla Beans are used instead of extract. Got it from the source Les. Luckily I was told by him as I am his Grandson F. Lerude
ReplyDeleteTY Les & Grandson for the tip...Whole Vanilla Bean.
DeleteThanks for the tip!!!
DeleteHello...my childhood Wigwam memory along with this link for recipe is now trending on 'You lived in Reno in the '60 & '70'. Lots of fun memory comments...you may want to check it out. TY for recipe. Enjoy your summer.
ReplyDeleteNice, I will check it out!
DeleteMy Mom worked at the Wigwam Café for Les & Bonnie Lerude from 1949 until she remarried and we moved in February of 1954. Les and Bonnie stayed friends with us until Bonnie passed away. I have the original recipe that was served in that Café as my Mom made it often. The above recipe is not the original, mine is....When my brother and I would come to meet Mo after her work, I would always have a piece of that pie with the sauce, but more sauce than pie, LOL If anyone would like the recipe, I would love to give it to you!
ReplyDeleteThe same family cookbook I got this recipe out of also had several versions of my Gram's apple raisin cake she always had on hand (she wouldn't give anyone her recipe!), so it doesn't surprise me that this one isn't the real original. This one isn't bad, but I would love to have the original recipe!
Deletewould love the original recipe--this one is not it
DeleteI have a menu from there and a couple of little booklets that Les Lerude had published to hand out to his customers to remember his café. What Men Know About Women---of course it's blank inside...LOL
ReplyDeleteThat's funny! LOL
DeleteI would love the original recipe, though this one is really good. Can you post it?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I never saw the follow up posts on this site until now.......Here is the recipe my Mom had from working at The Wigwam Café in Reno.....happy to share: Hope you give it a try, as it is very simple.
DeleteVanilla Sauce for over apple pie:
Mix 1 cup sugar, 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch. Add this mixture to 2 cups of boiling water and boil gently for 10 minutes. Add: 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and let cool slightly. Delicious warm on apple pie.
Darlene chilcotin@hotmail.com
Sorry, I never saw the follow up posts on this site until now.......Here is the recipe my Mom had from working at The Wigwam Café in Reno.....happy to share: Hope you give it a try, as it is very simple.
DeleteVanilla Sauce for over apple pie:
Mix 1 cup sugar, 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch. Add this mixture to 2 cups of boiling water and boil gently for 10 minutes. Add: 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and let cool slightly. Delicious warm on apple pie.
Darlene chilcotin@hotmail.com
The one I posted is the only recipe I have.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Expecting company tomorrow. The pie's done and making the sauce now.
ReplyDeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteThank you Thank you Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLafcadio...you are very welcome.....sorry this took so long to reply but again, I never checked this post until now. I hope you enjoyed the recipe.....Darlene
DeleteI too loved the Wigwam. Reno was so charming back in the day
ReplyDeleteI am looking for the Banana Cake recipe from Harold's Club. They served 2 different types. One was a banana NUT cake made with yeast. I would appreciate any and all recipes from "old" Reno restaurants. Thanks. Maggie
Cool and I have a super proposal: Who Repairs House Windows my home renovation
ReplyDelete