"Building a Pie 101"

    Awhile back I had a very enjoyable conversation with one of my Dad's dear childhood friends whose name was Jack Klema. Now Jack had worked construction most of his life, had raised 5 daughters, and at the time, he and his wife Jean were operating a wonderful restaurant called "The Barn on York." It actually was a beautiful barn they had renovated and made into a restaurant. They served delicious meals and offered live Bluegrass music upstairs every week. My Dad, Dick Parker, happened to be in that band and was the bass player. You could enjoy a great slice of pie with your coffee while enjoying live great bluegrass music. What fun times those were!!
    One evening Jack sat at our table and told me, very proudly, that he had gotten his "pie building down to 10 minutes per pie." He explained the steps to me and was so very matter of fact in his pie building process that I had to smile as I envisioned him in an apron slicing apples and rolling out dough, assembling the pie and placing it in the oven, watching the timer and making sure it came out bubbly and not burnt. Not so much unlike the building process of a barn or house, I suppose. Both required planning, precision, and patience and giving great satisfaction and pride in the finished product.
     So, to remember Jack's story, to fondly remember both he and my Dad, and to honor those who take great pride in their "pie building", I dedicate the following pictures of this past weekend's mini pie baking, as chronicled by my very talented photographer daughter, Caitlin.


                                                       THE "BUILDING" OF A PIE

                                                               rolling out the dough....

                                                         piling the apples high...........

                                                    putting on the "lid" and crimping the edges......

waiting for finishing touches..........

                                                            cutting out the decorations.....

                                                          placing the snowflake cut outs....

                                                       brush with milk & sprinkle with sugar.....

                                                        cut vents & ready for the oven..


    Give me a great pie anytime. I'll take it over cookies, cake, brownies, candy....you name it. There isn't a pie I don't love. I've always said it's "all about the crust"...flakey..sugary and just delicious. This mini pie is just the right size for two. Just add a dollop of ice cream in the middle, 2 forks and you're set!  
      
     I hope you enjoyed this story and I thank all the pie bakers and pie lovers out there!!!
 Keep up the pie love....................

Sue