Friday, November 5, 2010

Gratitude 4: Cinnamon Crust

The night before Thanksgiving is sort of a holiday.  Well, to me and my sister Amy anyway.  And probably to most people who have to prepare items for Turkey day.

When I was growing up, the Thanksgiving Eve was cinnamon crust night.  This is because my mom would make her pie crusts the night before and would always bake the parts of crust she cut off and top them with cinnamon.  Mmmm. These little odd-shaped tastes of heaven were part of the holiday as much as turkey and green bean casserole.

I talked with my mom today about my Thanksgiving assignment.  For the record, I'm not bringing the beans this year; I'll be taking rolls.  Which I would have made anyway because I'm never content with left-overs and have to have my own.  But anyway, today the conversation turned to pies and who liked what and who would make a pie.  I declined, but expressed my interest in someone making a lemon meringue pie.

But.

I got thinking. Just yesterday, I bought a $3 pastry cutter from the Walmart.  I have looked for one for years. And so tonight, I broke down and made a pie crust.  I had to call my friend Melanie, Shane's grandma, and my neighbor Karen, but I got through the sticky parts. 

Here's my experience:

I started with flour, salt, and butter.
  
I cut the butter into the flour. This went a lot better than I expected it to.

5 to 6 tablespoons of cold water later, I had a pastry ball.

I rolled the crust out between 2 pieces of floured wax paper.  This is the typical amount of roundness my pizzas and sugar cookies have.  So really, not really round at all.

Getting the pie into the crust was interesting.  I ended up with too much on one end and not enough on another. But I didn't drop it on the floor, so I count it as a success. 

10 minutes later at 425 I had this.  I wish I would have waited to put the cinnamon on until after I baked.  But it tastes just right.


The cut away parts of the pie.  I took these over to my neighbor Karen.  Hopefully the late night treat will inspire them to forgive me for breaking the 10 to 10 rule.  It was 10:15 when I took it over.
So tonight, I'm grateful for this little taste of my childhood. I'll share it with the boys in the morning when they wake up. But probably, most of it will end up in my own mouth. Can you blame me?  All in all, it was a good warm-up for the lemon-meringue pie I'll attempt in a few weeks.  Gulp.

Have you ever made a pie? What kind of pie is your favorite? Do you know what you are taking to Thanksgiving dinner this year?

6 comments:

Amy Sorensen said...

hmmmmm. I'm offended. How can YOU be bringing rolls when it's always MY assignment? WTH!!!!?!

Just kidding. Mom doesn't even know I'm coming yet. I'll call her tomorrow.

At any rate, vinegar. Replace some of the cold water with vinegar.

And, in case anyone asks, I'm not bringing lemon meringue pie. GROSS.

Actually, now that I have written this out I hope you know the sarcastic and unserious tone I am using.

Also I hope all the food assignments haven't already been made.

BAK said...

Amy - go ahead and bring the rolls if you want to!! I don't mind. I was thinking, Wait, AMY brings the rolls! But we didn't know if you would be there. Have at them! Your mixer can handle it - mine can barely do 1 batch, and I'll have to do 3 so that I can have my own batch. I'll bring something else. Including lemon meringue pie and you have to eat it all. Just kidding.


I'm also bringing yams. Totally a selfish thing. I made them last year and loved them. So I won't be offended if no one else eats them but me. There a little bit like candy. Mmm, butter and brown sugar.

BAK said...

Oh, and why vinegar? What does that do?

Amy Sorensen said...

OK, seriously...you know I was kidding, right? You can totally bring the rolls. You will ROCK the rolls! I'm really not bugged.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE yams. Why have we never had them???? I don't know.

Vinegar helps the crust be flakier. Also it adds flavor. Not that I am a crust expert or anything---I am not! That is just what Mom told me. ;)

Do you really like lemon pie? I can't handle the texture. It's too yogurty/puddingy/icky. I like the idea of creamy pies but the reality is, they make me gag.

Do you still love me?

Anonymous said...

I feel like I'm butting in on a private conversation here :)

What a fine looking pie crust!

I use my pastry blender to make guacamole. Apparently that's not what it's for.

Apryl said...

Yes, vinegar. I'm with Amy. It's a fun trick. And can I be your neighbor? Yum!