We all need heroes, right? I have a new one! Erin Jeanne McDowell. She has a new book, The Book on Pie.
I have made pies probably since the very first time I ever cooked. Did I ever mention that I had never so much as boiled water until I got married and suddenly . . we had to eat! There were few (like . . 2) restaurants in our small town and there was not extra money in our bank account so we pretty much had to eat at home. I had a crockpot. I would put a whole chicken in the crockpot, add a few potatoes and carrots, let that thing cook from about 8 a.m. til 6 p.m. while I was gone to work and that’s what we ate probably four times a week. Somewhere along the way, I learned to cook better but pies are consistently the one dessert I could eat every day. I’ve probably never told you that except for iced sugar cookies, I’ll only eat cookies the first day I make them. Leftover cookies . . I won’t eat them.
One more tidbit of info . . so you’ll appreciate how far I’ve come. When I first got married, I had never done laundry. No one told me there was a lint filter on the dryer and I had to clean it. After some amount of time, months or maybe a year, the dryer quit drying. We called the repairman. He tried to pull the lint filter out . . not gonna happen. It was impacted. He had to take the dryer door apart. He said “How long since you cleaned the filter?” The filter? I didn’t know it had a filter. Yep . . I was 20-21 years old and didn’t know how to cook or do laundry.
So . . back to the story. I love pies. I had never heard of Erin Jeanne McDowell til last night. Unfortunately, it was about 10:30 p.m. when I found her. I had planned to go to bed early but I start watching this Youtube video.
I only got through about half the video before I had to go to bed but I learned so much about making pie crusts! I wanted to go in the kitchen and make a pie (I didn’t do it). I was always taught to get the butter/Crisco to pea size. I’m going to try doing it differently. I had to stop watching the video, order her book and get to bed. I had hoped I’d dream of pies but I didn’t or if I did, I don’t remember. I never remember my dreams.
This lady is a great speaker, she seems to know so much about pies – way more than I could have imagined there was to know.
If you love pie and want the best pie crust you can make, I think it’s worth your time to watch this 1 hour, 20 minute video. I can’t wait to finish watching it.
Joyce says
My grandpa always said it wasn’t dessert if it wasn’t pie! 🙂 I always laughed at my Mom, her one pie goal was to make a flakier crust than either of my Grandma’s did. It was a true competition to her. I don’t make pies much any more, but every year I get a craving for at least 1 peach pie, and 1 apple pie.
Tee says
Look up lokokitchen on Instagram and be amazed. She has a new book out called Pieometry that is beautiful!
Judy Laquidara says
I’ll do it. Thanks!
Carolyn says
I think that’s on my Christmas list!
Alison says
I like it now you are not doing keto. Nicefood posts.
Judy Laquidara says
I REALLY need to do keto again but til this pandemic is over, and I know I’m not going to die, I’m eating everything I want to eat! 🙂
Ruth says
A friend of mine recently bought an Instapot. I told her your blog had great recipes….
April Reeves says
I’m on pie duty for Thanksgiving with the in Laws (but full duty for my side of the family – minus dressing as I still can’t make that like my moms) so I going to watch this video on the drive to get my mom from Bossier this weekend. A good family friend was looking at this $349 piecaken trio and I said I will make you a layer. So I’m going to try pecan pie inside of spice cake and then I found a pumpkin pie inside of cheescake with ganache on top on pinterest. Maybe this will inspire me to make my own crust cause I have done it but I just use fridge one that is rolled up now.
Judy Laquidara says
And the fridge ones that you open up are not bad!
Those pies inside cakes sound divine . . and scary! Let me know how they turn out.
Nelle Coursey says
The best piecrust I have ever tasted is from The Joy of Cooking. You use 1/3 cup Crisco and 1/3 cup butter! It is always flakey and has a great taste! Pat does not like any other crust but mine. He will never eat fried chicken unless I make it! I guess I have spoiled him!