Hi PJ, I love this site, the recipes, and your products--just the best. I especially like that y'all come back and answer questions. What purpose does the cornmeal serve--is it a thickener? I make a black bottom pie which is basically the same principal except you pre-bake the crust, which means I can do that before hand. I then do the chocolate layer, and cook the vanilla part like you would when making a coconut, vanilla, or banana pie, or pudding then let it cool for a while. You can get it cool quicker using an ice bath. Then you would make the meringue, put the cooled vanilla layer over the chocolate, spread the meringue, and I always sprinkle the meringue with a bit of sugar, and bake it at 325 degrees until it is a light golden color. The extra sugar on the meringue gives it a little crunch which we all like. Probably on this pie, I would shave a bit of chocolate on top once it is cool. Happy baking, MaryLouise

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