Oh how I love living in a small town! I have lived in urban areas most of my life and I appreciate the friendly and neighborly small town atmosphere (though the gossip I could live without). These little towns seem much like extended families. Everyone knows everyone else, and they have one another’s backs. You can’t be in a hurry to go to the post office or the store because someone inevitably will strike up a conversation.
When I went to the holiday bazaar in Fossil last weekend several people approached me and said that they would help me learn to make a pie the right way. That was after they read my column last week about everything I did the wrong way when I baked a pie for Jerry’s birthday. Kathy Von Striver proposed the idea that the two of us could go over to Jerry’s house some afternoon around Christmas and make a cherry pie there. She said that the secret to a flaky crust is to use lard. Kathy also said, “Why stop with just one pie when we could make 22?” That was her record in one day – apparently fruit pies freeze well. Jerry, who listened in, chuckled and said that he planned to take a very long walk with his dog Bear that day.
Then Theresa Byars gave me quite the fruit pie making lesson. I can’t believe that I did not know how to correctly make a fruit pie from frozen fruit until now. Making a pie from frozen fruit is different than using fresh fruit because when the fruit thaws, it releases a lot of juice that has to be thickened. Theresa said to cook the fruit a bit and separate the fruit from the juice. Then make a roux: melt a few tablespoons of butter until it starts to bubble, then add a few tablespoons of flour and cook 2-3 minutes until the mixture gets foamy. Add the fruit juice and stir constantly over medium heat until thickened. Then add the fruit along with a big squeeze of lemon and some cinnamon. Most recipes call for thickening the juice with cornstarch or flour. Theresa’s recipe sounds so much more flavorful and I can’t wait to try it.
Terry Todd says the best crust is her recipe: 2 cups flour, ⅔ cups Crisco (don’t use the cheap stuff), 1 teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup cold water. Cut the shortening into the flour until it is the size of peas; add the water, roll out. That’s it, that’s all. Crisco makes a butter-flavored version too.
I’m going to the Christmas bazaar in Spray on Saturday. I wonder what pie-making tips I will pick up then? Stay tuned!
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