Uncle Bro's Apple Gallete

Before going into to bake

If you want a way to ease yourself into pie making, you could start with a free-form pie known as a galette. On the other hand, getting the flaky crust and caramelized apples perfectly done can make this simple pie not totally simple.
Uncle Bro is indeed a master chef, a professional in a city of serious chefiness, and has even recently served up a good meal to the Dalai Lama here in San Francisco! As humble as Uncle Bro is, admittedly he knows this French Tart.

I had the pleasure of hanging at Uncle Bro's and having a wonderful home-cooked meal of a fresh farmer's market vegetable soup (which resurrected my interest in Cauliflower), a wonderful chicken entrée and this cute dessert baked with Granny Smith Apples and served with a crème inglese...so wonderful at the end of a long week. Thanks to Uncle Bro and Swiss Sis for hosting!

Butternut - Azuki Pie

Spontaneous Pie! A roasted Butternut Squash that has decorated my kitchen since Thanksgiving, and the sweet little red Azuki beans available in the pantry inspired me to get creative and throw something together I had never done.
Bringing together the organic brown sugar, a little buttermilk, a few eggs and some cloves, this pie was for me a not-too sweet and not-too heavy after-holiday pie that was so tasty warm, I can see having this for breakfast.

Final Pie of the Year: Chicago Stone-Baked Pizza Pie!

This one was my first pizza pie on '...The Pie Blog'. I called it a delicious mess, as I learned to make a deep dish Chicago style creation for this last blog of the year without having a proper pizza peel or proper deep dish. Nonetheless, the taste was a most fantastic outcome. It ended up looking a bit like a gi-normous stromboli.

The crust was a hand-made whole wheat garlic bread, and yes I made it from scratch without a bread maker or any machines. This made for a really rustic and irregular shape and texture, truly homemade comfort. I also made the tomato sauce from scratch, making this an all day thing that I would best do on winter break like now. The hot italian spicy sausage, crumbled and cooked into the dough was the best part, I think. Fresh italian cheeses and lots of fresh basil topped it off. This was time consuming, but very worthwhile and ultimately easy to do.

Giving Thanks...before the pies are made

'Before the Pies Are Made'...

That's what I call this pie blog entry. Kind of like a 'behind the scenes edition' of my pie blog.

I was considering - over a cup of coffee this morning in the Hall of Justice - and instead of fretting that I might be selected for Jury Duty - that each year there are many who feel inclined to 'think outside the box' when it comes to putting together a Thanksgiving menu. These are people who find Turkey boring or bothersome to cook after a hundred times, feel that the holiday meal becomes excessive with multiple starchy different dishes, or want to just do something 'different' from traditions that actually get boring. Fair enough...however, I find myself wanting to do many of the traditional hits over and over because I enjoy having some cooking rituals, and I find we have many opportunities throughout the year but what we choose to make is so varied, since America is so hugely diverse in cultures. I feel disheartened to hear that turkey is boring, overhearing conversations that folks are going for sushi instead of the regular bird. I should add that Vegetarians are excepted from my summons to turkey-feasting, and I have no particular 'beef' with the Tofurkey or the Madden-made-famous 'Turduckin" turkey-duck-chicken phenom. I know it is about being thankful for what you DO have. I met some folks recently in the countryside that had a goat, no turkey, and since that's what they have, they're excited to make goat soup instead and invite a crowd. I suppose that's what's important.

I asked the nephews what kinds of things they think of when we talk about cooking our Thanksgiving dinner this year. Pumpkin pie was essential to this crew of kids, being right after Turkey in order of importance. This year I plan to serve it with a cinnamon crust and whipped cream.

The nephews happen to be young boys under 5 at the time of this stream of thoughts, and currently look forward to the ritual of giving thanks at the nightly dinner table. They don't yet have many Thanksgivings to look back upon, and I have the opinion like they could associate Thanksgiving day with Turkey, the significant bird of the day. We generally join hands and each have a say as to what we are thankful for.

Aside from the occasional impulsive statement of 'I'm thankful for CAKE!!!' which happens, usually after there has been a recent birthday party or some fun school event involving cupcakes, I've noted that the nephews regularly say they are thankful for Mommy and Daddy. It is a wonderful thing for everyone to hear that simple but profound announcement - and so meaningful that the very most important thing to their survival and healthy development is what they want to thank. The younger one also shouts, "...Icing!" as footnote to his blessing. 'Amen,' we add.

The older one says, "What about a cherry pie for Thanksgiving?'' I consider. "Why not?" I like the idea. "With ice cream!" he adds. "Of course!" It's not cherry season but we could use frozen berries. I like the red holiday color and appeal of the celebratory cherry. The cross-culturally lucky holiday color of red. Hot gooey sweetness! Okay. I am convinced it will be a hit... I start to envision beautiful berries and a double layer pie. How to do it I'm not sure yet.

I am sure I'm going to make a pecan pie, in memory of Grandma who passed away this year and was the primary pecan pie and puzzle person of my life. I am adding to her famous pie some sprigs of Mint this year. (Mom is making it also, but reports that this time is destined to be with chocolate chips.)

Again, to fulfill my need of tradition and my need for sufficient leftovers there will be pumpkin pies - no photos necessary. (nothing can top the pumpkin pie breakfast before taking a long walk on a sunny fall Friday.)

P.S. Did anybody catch the cloud mystery behind that Pie Art on the cover of The New Yorker Magazine this week?

Ithaca Pie

An Organic Berry Pie in downtown Ithaca at the Farmers' Market. In this photo, it's also impossible not to notice that chocolate cake in the foreground; however, this is a pie blog.

Visiting Ithaca was wonderful,
with cherries and berries,
and fruit pies lovingly created.

We enjoyed the company of old friends in the park, listened to music, and soon the pie was gone.

Before finding this pie, we enjoyed the Grass Roots Festival of Music and Arts nearby, which had its own draw of treats, like vocalist Oumou Sangare jamming with banjologist Bela Fleck.

Boston Creme Pie, OMG

Welcome back to the Pie Blog.
This pie was eaten, (more like devoured) to the tunes of celebration
A friend from Boston
Has had good fortune.
He did not know we were eating it:
toasting him, his new love and home;
his many blessings amplified by chocolate
as we listened on the other line and responded, "OMG"
putting our woes aside
This called for celebration, a Boston Creme Pie
Party favor LED fiesta
Dropping jaw and pondering the highs and lows
of our own lives, in awe

Ravens Pie

Well, if you haven't heard, the Baltimore Ravens are in the playoffs this year, and tomorrow we shall celebrate with this Maryland Pie. Ironically, it was a fan of our arch-enemy Steelers that today reminded me that it was 'Pie Time' for Ravens Pie. (Just For Tomorrow we are 'swar'n' enemies...but thanks for getting me on the pie project again!)
Even if you are not from Baltimore like myself, try mastering this one. It is the adaptation of a Blueberry Pie, with no actual Ravens in it, or Blackbirds, or Crows either. It is from the Western Maryland mountains where there is great farm country and orchards and fruit pies.

Catoctin Mountain - Ravens Pie

3 c pitted apricots unpeeled
2 c blueberries, fresh and no stems
2/3 c sugar plus 2 tablespoons on the side
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Brown sugar topping
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/2 c flour all purpose
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter unsalted cut into 1/4 inch pieces at room temp

Pie Pastry prepared and cold chillin'

1. prepare the pastry shell
2. In a large bowl, combine apricots blueberries and 2/3 c of the granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well, set aside for 30 min to juice. Preheat the oven to 400 in the meantime.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and remaining 2 tbsp gran. sugar ...stir the mix into the fruit along with nutmeg and cloves. Turning the filling into the chilled pie shell. Level it out with a spoon. Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake 30 minutes.
4. Make the topping by combining brown sugar and flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse in a food processor to mix (or use fingers). Use your hands to scatter the butter pieces over the dry ingredients and make large buttery crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Remove pie from oven and reduce the temp to 375. Carefully dump the crumbs into the center of the pie, like Ray Lewis dumps a quarterback. Then, spread the crumbs a little with your fingers over the surface. Return the pie to the oven, placing it so that the part of the pie that faced the back of the oven now faces forward, for even cooking. Use aluminum foil underneath to catch any spills here. Bake until top is dark golden brown and juices are bubblin'. This could be 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on it - if the topping starts looking too dark cover the pie with loosely tented aluminum foil for the last 15 min or so.
6. HOT. Transfer to wire rack and LET COOL for at least 2 hours before diving into.