Nesselrode Pie What? A peace of pie. The 19th-century Russian count Karl Robert Nesselrode, a resident of Paris, lived and ate lavishly (according to some accounts, anyway), and had a number of dishes named after him. In honor of the count-cum-statesman's negotiation of the Treaty of Paris in 1856 (which settled the Crimean War), his chef, a certain Monsieur Mouy, created Nesselrode pudding out of custard flavored with maraschino, chestnut purée, and chopped candied fruits that had been macerated in Málaga wine. Later, the American version added gelatin to stabilize the dessert, and rum for flavor. According to Carole Walter's Great Pies & Tarts, Nesselrode was popularized in pie form before World War II by Hortense Spier, a professional baker in New York City. Indeed, some cookbooks call it New York Nesselrode Pie, and in The New York Times Food Encyclopedia, Craig Claiborne wrote that he was "inordinately fond of desserts that bear the name Nesselrode." When? November 7, Carole Walter