Possum Pie Won’t Kill You [PHIL-OSOPHY]

Have you ever tried possum pie? Doing some of my growing up in Hot Springs, Arkansas, when I first heard about eating possum pie, I gagged! Since then however, I've acquired a taste for this delicacy, and ask you not to knock it until you've tried it.

A little history before I try to convince you to sample some of it: possums are well known to play dead to fool predators. In this age of fake news, possums are known for their fake-outs.

So in that vein, possum pie doesn't have any marsupial whatsoever. This Arkansas morsel earned its name because it "plays possum" to fake out diners with a misleading label.

Possum pie is such a wonderful summer dessert that is light, cool, sweet and "gooder 'n hell," as my Southern friends would say. The pie's top layer of homemade whipped cream (or Cool Whip) brings out the flavors of the secret bottom layers of chocolate custard on top of vanilla pudding. Sprinkle with toasted pecans, and you'll be pleasantly faked-out, too.

There are variations of this Southern pie. If you ever make it to Russellville, Arkansas, you must stop in to Stoby's for a taste of heaven.

I'm going back to Hot Springs this October to celebrate my 50th high school reunion. I'll try to persuade my wife, Celeste, to try some possum pie before I tell her what it really is.

That said, I don't recommend the sun-dried canned possum!

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.