Well this post is going to be a little off topic, but not by much because I’ve found that those who are interested in keeping chickens are usually those who are also interested in good, healthy food. Consider this a chicken/flock feeding post.
Last week I ran into a friend of mine (Hi Judy) at a bookstore and she was buying a beautiful pie cookbook. Her mother, who had always made the holiday pies was not able to make them anymore and my friend was preparing to pick up the mantle.
She’s never made a pie from scratch she confessed to me. In order to be ready to provide pies for the holidays, she was going to start practicing now.
I knew her embarrassment because I also (I can hear the gasps already) have never made a pie from scratch. I’ve always used that refrigerator pie crust (which might explain why I’m not so keen on pie.)
This weekend, Judy posted a picture of her first beautiful pie. It was literally inspiring. There is just something so very artful about making a pie. It creates such warmth and care for those who eat it.
So I’m on a mission. I’m going to make a pie from scratch.
I’ve done some research (hey, once a journalist, always a journalist) and according to Rosie’s All-butter Fresh Cream Sugar Packed Baking Book (world’s greatest name for a cookbook) – not only do you need cold butter (Judy has read that you should put it in the freezer) but you should also use an ice cube in your liquids until the moment you need them at which point you remove the ice cube.
See? It’s stuff like that that totally intimidates me. Ice cubes? Freezer butter?
But my friend has inspired me, so in tribute to her efforts, I’ll make a pie.
We are going into the apple season around here so I just might use that as my first try (we’re not even going to mention chicken pot pie during this discussion.) I’ll post pictures of my attempts (even if they don’t look artful.)
My question to all you pie makers out there – any tips? Any bits of advice?
Any words of encouragement?
I understand you need one of these.
