America's Most Unforgettable Pies (decadent food alert!)

Yahoo Travel ^ | 2/8/11 | Christine Sarkis

[DemforBush]

Attempting to name the nation's best pies is like arm wrestling a bear: It's a losing proposition. But finding uniquely unforgettable pies, now that's something we can really sink our teeth into. To kick off National Pie Month, hop aboard the Pie Express for a trip around the country...

[RoseyT]

Oops I just clicked through to the thread and see that you posted it already. Thank you! :)

[rlmorel]

Here’s my mom’s recipe...I am the only one of the kids who can make it...:)

Joan’s Apple Pie Recipe

PIECRUST
(Chill all ingredients including roller, flour, shortening and water)
Ingredients: flour, shortening, salt (proportions: 1 cup flour to 1/3 cup shortening)
1. 2 cups flour +2/3 cup shortening in a large bowl
2. 1 teaspoon salt
3. cut with pastry cutter (or two knives) until mixture is granulated
4. add 6 to 7 tablespoons of ice water (add six, then one later if needed) Note: be sure to check humidity, if humidity is very low you may need to add up to 12 tablespoons water. It’s better to add a little more than is needed, than too little.
5. Using two knives, mixing cup the mixture using the scissoring crossing motion.
6. Knead mixture into a ball.
7. Cut the ball of dough into two parts, then roll one half out on table covered with flour. (Technique: manually flatten dough into disk, roll from the middle out. Keep turning dough, flour liberally top and bottom. Do this quickly, keep flouring roller if necessary.)

FILLING
1. 10 to 20 medium to large apples (Mitsu apples are preferred, but any will do)
2. Peel and core apples, cutting up into six segments each, Then cut each segment into quarters.
3. Add 2 cups dried cranberries or cherries
4. Add 1 cup sugar
5. Add 1 cup brown sugar
6. Add 4 tablespoons tapioca (depending on the water content of the apples, you may need to add more tapioca. In any case, ensure there are particles of tapioca on nearly every Apple slice you see)
7. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to taste.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fill pie plate with filling, keep very high in a mound, gently compress down.
2. Put several pats of butter on top of filling
3. Rollout other half of pie dough, gently fold over once or twice then place on top of filling and unfold.
4. Using scissors, cut dough at least 2 to 3 finger widths out from major pie plate. Gently press together top and bottom of pie crust and fold underneath all around pie. On edges, use your thumb and forefinger to pinch together dough, then use Index finger of the opposite hand to push dough into a point with the depression on top.
5. Make vent holes on top of pie in pattern.
6. Take one egg, beat vigorously and brush on top of the pie.
7. Bake at 400° for 15 min.
8. Decrease heat to 350° and bake for 45 min.

[rlmorel]

When my wife came to her first Christmas morning at my family’s house, she was appalled at the amount of bacon we cooked and ate.

We are one of those houses that the bacon has to be jealously guarded as it is pulled out of the grease and placed on the paper towels. Not to crispy...you should be able to bend it without having it crack in half.

Of course, the joke at Thanksgiving is that our family must only buy and cook some specially breeded genetic turkey that has no skin.

Or at least it appears that way by the time it makes it to the table...:)

[martin_fierro]

Truth.

[sheana]

My all time favorite pie was Marie Callendar’s Peanut Butter pie.....so of course they discontinued it. I finally found a copy recipe that tastes just like it.

[Trillian]

My favorite is an Italian apple pie that my mom and I make.
The crust is made with butter and it tastes like shortbread. When I have fresh fruit in the summer time I like to mix apples, pears and strawberries together when I make it. They both taste heavenly..

I also like french silk pie on occasion.

[momtothree]

During the Summer, I make blueberry and peach pie. During the Fall, I make apple and pumpkin. I use fresh fruit and minute Tapioca. I don’t like the canned filling much. Tart cherries make wonderful pies... they are unfortunately hard to find where I live.

[TheMom]

A few pointers I learned from experience and help from my ancestors.

Do not use a mixer to mix the ingredients together;

Make sure the flour and sugar are thoroughly sifted;

If the pie does not set, and you end up with pie soup; add a bit more flour to the mix of the next batch;

Once you share this with family and friends, be prepared to have lots of request for more.

Let me know what you think of the pie.

[shove_it]

The cherries never survived the trip from Traverse City back to Detroit. We ate ‘em all on the way home.

[VOA]

If stranded on a desert island, I’d pray for this holy trinity:
1. Cherry pie
2. Pecan pie
3. Coconut pie

And still can’t tell which one is my number favorite. I just love
‘em all!!!

[Oorang]

Thank you!

[3D-JOY]

Wow that is complete! Thank you.

I do make the 6-7 crust mix with lard once in a while and freeze the balls for later use. It takes the entire pound of lard and an egg as well as vinegar...but tastes good!

You did not say if you used the trimmings of the crust for a great sugar/butter/cinnamon crispy cookie...for the cook?

[rlmorel]

I don’t...I usually toss the cuttings, but...now that you mention it, I’m going to have to do that!

[Little Ray]

No recipes?

[3D-JOY]

Just gather the scraps up in a ball and hand shape it into a tiny crust...edges thicker will hold the butter, and then the sugar and cinnamon, from flowing off. Any tiny pan/dish will do.

Now, I wash the bowl and make the tea...eat it hot, while watching the pie bake! When I had children at home it had to be rolled very thin and shared by them. (watch it. thin piece burns easily!)

Over 70 years ago my grandmother made it with jelly and pinched it shut. Then when baked, she called me to eat it! MEMORIES!!!!

[rlmorel]

That sounds great, making it with jelly and pinching it shut...:)

Funny how food brings back those memories, eh?

My mom used to make beef stew...very, very simple. Just stew beef, carrots, potatoes and broth. Thin broth, not the thick broth.

I can make it now like she did, and last week after I made a big batch (I put it in containers for lunch...) I remembered she used to make dumplings.

Now, dumplings are kind of a lost thing. NOBODY makes dumplings anymore, I haven’t seen or tasted them in 20 years, but I remembered how much I liked them, and I wondered if I could make them.

I recalled she used to use Bisquick, and I knew I had a box that we never use for anything, and...ugh. It had weevils in it!

Soooo...out comes my mom’s old Better Homes and Gardens cook book, and sure enough, there is a recipe there. I made the dumplings, and they tasted exactly like hers...I have to say, it brought me right back. I had to call my brothers and tell them...:)

Good gosh, she was a wide and varied cook. What a lady she was.

Being a Naval Officer’s wife, she did a lot of entertaining, and she developed the skill of being able to feed a huge number of people on the fly with a wide variety of available ingredients. It amazed me.

[numberonepal]

A tablespoon a day of unsulphured organic molasses is supposed to be good for you.

Good organic black strap molasses is an excellent supplier of copper. Copper deficiencies is one reason why we go gray.

[Taffini]

bump the pies