what is the cornmeal for? texture?

To the best of my knowledge (and asking thirteen_letter), yes. I am absolutely by no means an expert on chess pie, as this is the first one I've ever made--and I had to call in the cavalry to make sure I was doing it correctly.

I've seen recipes without the corn meal, though. Mine is not to question the South.

Interstate conspiracy?

It's a surprise for a friend in New York, courtesy of a friend in Tennessee and me in New Jersey. (I think I can say this here because she won't see this before she's surprised with it.)

The cornmeal is for the starch that will thicken the custard, right?

The eggs most probably can do that on their own, to my thinking. The cornmeal just changes the texture a bit.

The whole egg-milk-sugar continuum is fascinating with fairly small changes making a great deal of difference in the finished project -- quiche to souffle to custard to chess pie.

One of my culinary contacts in Sweden, who works on medieval food, swears that eggs will thicken a dish nearly as well as flour.

I love the ways you spend your time.

Well. As the subject of said interstate conspiracy, and as the recipient of that beautiful pie (a/k/a That Friend in New York), I can vouch that a)chess pie is a beautiful thing, b) a slice of said chess pie will make a superb breakfast tomorrow morning, and c) did I mention that this pie is a beautiful thing?

The interstate conspiracy to which our gracious hostess refers was a plan hatched between Herself (in New Jersey) and Thirteen Letters (in Tennessee) to prepare a chess pie and to bring it to the surprise birthday party a friend threw for me tonight. To say that I was gobsmacked is to put it mildly. It was a brilliant party and a brilliant evening, and I'd be in tears if I weren't smiling so damn goofily. Such friends I have. Thank you both, you conspiracy nuts, you. ;)