Pie #10: So Many Cooks in the Kitchen Pie (Blackberry Peach Pie)

This week Grandpa King (Perry's maternal grandfather) turned 90 years old.  Perry's mom and her siblings threw a big party for him, so we went home to join the celebration.  If the entire family is gathered, we sum to more than 50 people.  While not all of the extended family was able to attend, Perry's immediate family was fully present.  We had a great weekend together - visiting with Grandpa King and his new puppy, watching the nephews race the tractors around the house (with Perry in hot pursuit on the pedal tractor), catching up with the adults, playing with the nephews, and sharing food...lots of good food.  Even the lunch that consisted only of left-overs pulled from the fridge quickly turned into a feast!

It is not unusual for there to be a pie on the table when we arrive at Perry's parents' house.  As I've mentioned before, his mother is quite adept at the art of pie making (much like her own mother).  Travis (the middle Leatherman brother) must have acquired the baking gene - he is also quite skilled and is employed as a baker in Denver.  Imagine my excitement to create a pie with these two!

Each of us have our own pie-style.  My observation is that Travis makes fruit pies with very little sugar so the fruit takes center stage, Kathy makes traditional Mennonite pies, and I make strange and very sweet pies.  Some of us like to make cream pies, some like double-crusted, and some like lattice-topped pies.  At any rate, it was a lot of fun to work on this project together.  This recipe is a rough estimate at what we created.  Since we were all throwing things in the bowl and then forgot to set the timer an exact recipe isn't available.

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Blackberry Peach Pie

Ingredients:
2 unbaked pie crusts (we used the recipe here, but with 1 T. sour cream replacing 1 T. of the water for each crust)

peaches - peeled and sliced thinly (approx. 3.5 cups)
blackberries (approx. 1/2 cup)
flour (approx. 1/3 cup)
sugar (approx 1/2 cup)
cinnamon (approx. 1.5 t.)
all-spice (approx. 1/2 t.)
butter (dotted)

Pie Algorithm:
1. Slice peaches into a large mixing bowl.  Add blackberries.

2. In separate bowl mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and all-spice.  After combined mix in with fruit.

3. Pour fruit and syrup in pie shell. Dot with butter.  Top with second crust.  Brush water over top crust with fingers and sprinkle with sugar.

4. Bake at 425F for 15 min, then turn down to 350F and bake for 35 min more.  (You may take the pie out when the fruit is bubbling.)

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Both Kathy and Travis were pleased with the results.  The flavor of the fruits shone, making the pie tangy and delicious.  I personally would have loved to add more sugar...but a scoop of vanilla ice cream could have also done the trick!

Since it was Grandpa King's birthday we decided to make a small pie just for him.  He was very appreciative of the pie and of the delivery visit.  It was a perfect ending to a wonderful weekend!

Pie #9: Reading Directions Pie (Fresh Peach Pie)

When I was in elementary school I didn't see much use for directions as every worksheet we were given had an example problem that showed exactly what needed to be done.  I didn't understand why I should waste all that time reading two extra lines of text when it was quite obvious what was to be done from the example!  (I think this was especially true when my teacher had already explained the entire worksheet anyway.)

The specifics from most elementary school worksheets have long-escaped my memory; however there is one that I remember quite clearly.  My teacher's verbal instructions for this particular worksheet were simple: "Make sure to read the directions."  She repeated this instruction several times.  The directions written were: "Read through each question before starting this worksheet."  Of course I wasn't overly excited about these particular directions - now there was more reading standing between me and the finished worksheet.  However, because my teacher was acting so strangely I chose to follow the directions.  Each of the questions asked me to perform a different task: math in one question, walking to the other side of the room in the next question, a trivia question to follow, etc.  The worksheet was full of seemingly unrelated tasks, all up to the last question which told you to ignore all other questions, turn your paper over, and wait for further instruction.  It was delightful to watch all of my classmates who had not read the instructions perform these tasks!

Making a pie is much like this worksheet.  Reading the recipe through its entirety before starting can be very profitable.  Too many times I have gotten through part of a recipe only to find a bad surprise waiting at the next step - missing instructions, something I should have chopped earlier, a word of caution one step too late, or something equally frightful.

This week I had some trouble reading/following directions.  As the picture shows, the crust bubbled while blind-baking.  I also think I should have waited for the sugar mixture to thicken a bit more.  However in the end, I had yet another tasty pie.  Since we purchased more peaches at the Farmer's Market I pulled Marlene Suter's peach pie recipe from the Columbus Mennonite Church Cookbook.

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Fresh Peach Pie

Ingredients:

1 baked pie shell (10 inch)

1 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1/8 t. salt

3 T. light corn syrup

1 c. water

3 T. lemon gelatin (dry)

1 qt. sliced fresh peaches (4 cups)

1/2 T. lemon juice

Pie Algorithm:

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and syrup in saucepan.  Add water, stir and cook on medium high until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Add gelatin and blend.  Cool.

2. Mix peaches with lemon juice and put them in cooled, baked pie shell.  Spoon gelatin mixture over peaches.

3. Chill thoroughly.  Serve with whipped cream.

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The lemon flavor was refreshing, but overpowered the peaches slightly.  (This could be due to the fact that my fat bubbling crust didn't allow for as many peaches as it should have!)  If you'd rather not use lemon, I surmise that peach gelatin would also be tasty!

Pie #7: Piecemaker Pie (Ginger Peach Pie)

I belong to Piecemakers, a group which makes blankets in connection with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).  These blankets are then sent globally to refugees, victims of natural disasters, and others in need.  For more information, visit MCC's website.  The Piecemakers are a lively bunch; it's always a joy to spend time cutting, sewing, ironing, and knotting comforters with them!  Each meeting consists of delicious food, funny jokes, and great company (along with turning out blankets)!  Though it seemed like a lofty goal, last year we were able to create and donate 100 blankets to MCC.

After sharing my blog with the Piecemakers at our last meeting, I decided to share the week's pie with them this week.  So, about this pie...

I do not like ginger.  I wish I did, but I simply do not.  Every so often I think, "I bet this recipe would be delicious.  I know it has ginger, but I'm sure I would love it."  Every time I'm wrong.  I had one such episode this week - I was certain that the ripe, sweet, juicy peaches we purchased at the farmer's market would pair perfectly with ginger in the week's pie.  Knowing that the Piecemakers like food full of flavor I thought they would be the perfect tasters for this pie.

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Ginger Peach Pie

Ingredients:

2 unbaked pie crusts (9 inches)

4-5 peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 c. cornstarch

pinch salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger, freshly grated

fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon's worth)

Pie Algorithm:

1. Slice peaches into unbaked pie shell until flush with the top of the shell.  (I personally think slices should be as thin as possible.)

2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon until combined.  Add ginger and lemon juice.  Mix until you have a wet paste.  Add a bit of water (say 1 t.) if more liquid necessary.  Pour over peaches in shell.

3. Lattice the top crust over the peaches.  Brush with egg-wash and sprinkle with sugar if desired.

4. Bake at 425F for 35-45 minutes, or until pie is bubbling and juice is starting to thicken. 

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The pie smelled delightful - I could hardly wait to try a piece!  I thought that perhaps this would be my ginger turning point.  With comments such as "Wow...this IS good!" and "I'll take the last piece!", it seems that the ginger was a success with the group!  However as I should have guessed, history has been repeated.  I still don't like ginger.  Maybe next time...