Pie Making

Every few months or so I become infected with a domestic ‘bug’ and I find myself battling mad urges to cook, clean and care-take. All that is fine and well ‘cept the fact I’ve no one to share the fruits of my labor with….So last week when I heard there was a potluck to go to, I finally gave in to my steadily growing urge to bake a pie. (I also took a day off work last week to scrub the kitchen floor and pull one over on the bathroom. That was a damn good day)

I’d like to think that the aforementioned affliction has absolutely nothing to do with a movie I saw on the plane not too long ago starring Keri Russell where she makes these really wonderful looking pies-but I suspect that the movie, and my weakness for fall season food both contributed to the conviction that without ever having tried before, I would churn out an ABSOLUTELY fabulous pumpkin pie. And then bring it to the potluck where everyone would be amazed by my skills and eat my pie so fast that I would be bitter but secretly glad I didn’t get a piece, what with my intolerance to gluten.

Earlier in the week I located the recipe. Read it through several times. Blocked out several hours on Saturday for the cooking. ( I planned to watch Smallville episodes too, I mean, fabulous pie-making also involves ‘down time’ aka, while-the-pie-is-in-the-oven tv watching) I had some flour-had it for some time, too. I bought it during my last, desert-inspired domestic infection nearly two years ago-more recent infections dealt with stuffed mushrooms and BBQ meatballs and pulled chicken.

So Saturday after children’s classes I went to the store and threw down $8.99 for a rolling pin. Um, excuse me? Why in the world is a rolling pin $8.99? Also threw down more than I expected for a glass pie plate as the metal ones I had at home were apparently not conducive to fabulous pies. Ok Betty Crocker, if you say so….. I got the rest of the ingredients and went home.


I set everything up and proceeded to make magic. Ater I destroyed 3 pie crusts –over nearly as many hours (don't ask) I realized I was out of luck and out of time so I high-tailed it to the store and bought the ready-made crusts. (word to the wise:use fresh flour, and genuinuely cold water, not tap water with ice cubes in it to cool it down)

When I returned from the store I noticed the ready-made crusts and pans seemed smaller than the illustrious glass pan I had purchased but I paid that no mind and poured in the filling…and kept pouring and pouring and then I realized I had overfilled the pan. The pie crusts were small enough that I could have made two pies! But by then it was too late.

Well the pie was made, overfull and not as from scratch as I wanted, and because I overfilled it I couldn’t put the foil around the crust so the edges burnt a bit. I brought it to the potluck and like all successful potlucks, there was too much food so when the night ended, my burnt pie had not been touched. So I lugged it home. Sigh. I also tasted it. And it was mighty tasty. But was it easy? Not so much. And now I have a whole pie at home with only me to eat it. Hmm.....