Bonding Through Pie Tradition

For my daughter, Les, and for my dear nieces Linsey, Genevie, Evani and Bailee, Kristy, nieces-in-law Colleen and Stacy, and great-nieces Tyler, Hayden, McKenzy, Jayden and Navi (forgive any mis-spellings). And, for any of my Tait nieces or nieces-in-law who make care, too!

When I was 16, I had a momentary desire to learn domestic skills from my Mom (“Mayma” to all you grandkids…). It was the 4^th of July, and our Mesa 25^th Ward was having an old fashioned picnic at a park. I wanted to take something and enter it into one of the contests. My grandmother, whom we called Dee Dee, and Mom were well known for their amazing apple pies. I wanted to follow the tradition and learn how to make their “famous” recipes. Mom took the time that morning to teach me how.

A couple of things happened as a result. One, I won 1^st place in the pie baking contest – I beat all of the older ladies in the ward. I was quite proud of that, especially since it was my first try. Second, a family tradition was continued on and mothers and daughters bonded. Mom made me feel so good about my achievement, and from then on said that my pies were way better than hers, and much prettier. That was not true, but it certainly boosted my confidence a bit.

At least once a year or so, during most years, I have made at least one apple pie. I always make a BIG mess, and the bottom crust almost always tears, and I then begin praying that the top crust does not. Regardless, I always enjoy the experience and it always takes me back to the days of making them with Mom. I made one yesterday morning for our July 4^th Barbeque. I missed my mom, and grandmother who have been “on the other side” for many years now. But I also began thinking about my sweet daughter, wonderful nieces and great-nieces. I missed them all so much. I realized that this tradition needed to be passed on. Since I live across the country from them, I thought I would blog about it and share some of those wonderful pie-making secrets given to me that day by Mayma.

I am not going to give every step to making a pie – you will have to learn some of that on your own (OR, ask me to teach you sometime when we are together because I would be more than happy to do so. That offer stands for any friends as well). I will share the important parts that these women, raised with Pioneer roots, had learned from their mothers. And, I will include the recipes as well.

The only shortcut that Mayma took was to buy her apples canned – Comstock pie apples. NO, NEVER canned pie filling, but just canned apples. However, the last few years out here on the East Coast they are nowhere to be found. So, I bought about 5 Granny Smith apples and cut up 6 cups of thinly sliced pieces and added that to the rest of the pie mixture.

The recipe for the Apple Pie Filling is:

1 can pie apples (OR enough thinly sliced pie baking apples, like Granny Smith, to make 6 cups)

¾ c. white sugar

½ c. brown sugar

2 TBSP flour

½ - 1 tsp cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP butter (to dab around the top of the mixture right before putting on the top crust)

Let the mixture sit on the counter while you make the crust – the juices start to work and it gets juicier and yummier by the minute.

Now the pie crust:

1 ½ c. flour

½ tsp. salt

Cut in ½ cup rounded, of shortening with knives!

Add ½ c. icy cold water

When shortening is “cut” into the flour and salt mixture, we don’t use a pastry cutter – oh no no no. We use TWO knives and literally “cut” up the shortening until it is in tiny pea sized shapes, or smaller. No, they really do not have to be round like a pea!

You will be adding ICE-cold water – not lukewarm, not cold, but ICE cold. Yes, it matters.

It is important to remember that when mixing the dough, you must mix it together as little as possible, because the less you handle it, the more flaky your crust will be. It is a challenge to get the exact right amount of flour and shortening, because if one of them is off, this happens:

Yes, my bottom layer did tear – I still have a bit of trouble!

Another trick is in the “fluting” of the edges – here is how Mayma very carefully taught me how:

Doesn’t it look pretty?

To help the pie to brown and to be slightly crunchy on top, you must put a little milk in a dish, and then gently brush it on the top with your pastry brush. Then, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar. YUM!!

I baked mine a tad too long and it got a little too brown, but hey, that won’t affect the taste! Looks like the top layer did end up tearing a bit, but that’s ok. It gives it “character”, right? (that's even Mom's old pie cooling rack....)

Well, I am sure that yours will be much more beautiful and tastier than mine – just like Mom told me.