July 21, 2011
“One little thing can revive a guy, and that is a homemade rhubarb pie. Serve it up nice and hot, maybe things aren't as bad as you thought." - A Prairie Home Companion
One thing I know about pie is that in the summertime when there is a bounty of fresh peaches, strawberries and rhubarb, eating a fruit pie is the next best thing to nirvana.
I just wish I could make one, but more about that later.
First let me mention that I found it quite odd that pie was in the news a lot this week. When does that ever happen? I can't think of a time. This week when news headlines screamed 'pie', it was not because pie is a delicious dessert and overdue for accolades.
No, it was because the word 'pie' was trending on social media networks in which bloggers argued about whether one should throw a pie in someone's face or not. That global discussion happened due to the fake custard pie thrown at Rupert Murdoch, media mogul, in the U.K. phone hacking hearings under way this week in London.
At least it wasn't a real custard pie; what a waste that would be.
I agree with Rabbi Krustofski (Krusty's Dad on the Simpsons) who said, "Pie is for noshing (eating) not for throwing."
Since pie was in the news constantly this week, it became difficult for me to think about anything other than pie. That and fresh peaches is probably what drove me to browse through a stack of dust-covered baking cookbooks, long ago stored away and unused.
I am not the pie baker in our household, as you may have guessed by now, so I never needed the cookbooks. But I like to look at the pictures.
The real pie baker in our home, the hubby, doesn't need a "how to bake a pie" cookbook either, but for a different reason. He knows the recipe by heart.
His mother and sister made glorious pies with perfect flaky crusts, and so did my mother and grandmother. Somewhere along the line, I missed the pie-baking gene, but I am quite good at eating them.
Grandchildren beg for one of "Paw-Paw's" pies for their birthdays. Grown children love one when we come to visit. We take them to potlucks, funerals and to welcome a new neighbor. Sometimes, they are auctioned off at charity fundraisers, and they always bring a good amount.
I guess you could say pie is a big thing in our household, and the hubby's homemade pie is shared freely. However, convincing the spousal unit to part with his prize recipe is quite another matter.
I tried.
All he 'forked over' was the recipe for the peach pie filling he baked last week. I must say, it could be the best peach pie I ever tasted. However, he was not forthcoming with his pie crust recipe.
Trade secret, he says. Dear readers, I am sorry to say you are on your own when it comes to the crust.
While they are available, find some fresh peaches and try his 'top-secret' peach pie recipe shown below. (Baker's tip: the recipe calls for grenadine syrup, making the filling slightly pink in color. The sweetness of the syrup coupled with the lemon juice makes a perfectly blended sweet and tart filling.)
Ah yes, there is just something about pie.
Top Secret Sweet and Tart Peach Pie Filling:
Three-fourths cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
One-fourth teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups peaches, peeled and thickly sliced (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) of grenadine syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
In a large bowl combine sugar, flour and nutmeg; add peaches and toss until well-coated. Let mixture stand 5 minutes. Carefully stir in grenadine and lemon juice. Place mixture in pastry in pie plate spreading peaches evenly; dot with butter or margarine. Cover edges with foil. Bake in 375-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until crust is golden. Cool on rack before serving.
" You had me at fruit pies ." - Bobby Hill, "King of the Hill" television show
