Don't fear the meringue...

Though my grandmother could bake wonderfully, she would love to go to Morrison's Cafeteria every Sunday afternoon and get a big slice of lemon meringue pie. For some reason she just never wanted to take on the task of whipping egg whites and sugar into the fluffy sweet topping. This woman who made everything from scratch herself, thought that meringues was best left to the professionals.
For many years, I avoided even trying to make meringue because I thought if my grandmother couldn't make it, how could I do it?
One day, I was thrust into a situation where I had to make a meringue or a dessert would have to be brought to the table topless or not at all. So, I set about making the topping for my pie, frightened that it would be flat.
It wasn't. It was surprisingly easy...if you knew a couple of tricks.
Always put the bowl in which you will be whipping the meringues and the beaters from your mixer into the refrigerator for about half an hour before you will be using them. And don't skip the cream of tartar in the mix...it is essential.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Filling
1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
3 egg yolks
1 graham cracker crumb crust
Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/4 cup of sugar

• In medium bowl, combine the condensed milk, the lemon juice and zest. Blend in egg yolks.
• Pour into the cooled crust.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on the highest setting of your mixer until soft peaks from. This could take about 8 to 10 minutes...be patient.
• Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. 
• Chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve (about an hour).

Vegetarian.