Monthly Archives: June 2013

Baby Pies

28 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in Berry Pie, Chocolate Pie, Mini Pie

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IMG_0845In the recipe for Little Preserves and Finger Pies it was suggested that these pies are great for kids to make. Well, heck. Mine turned out oozy and lopsided enough to really make me wonder what they would look like if they were made by children.

Mostly, I think my problem here was greed. The more raspberry or strawberry preserves and dark chocolate chips in each little pie, the better….right? Wrong. Once the jam oozes out the rim, it’s like the kiss of death. That jammy spot will never again seal up properly. Luckily, looks don’t have much to do with taste.

IMG_0847I had to tone down the amount of filling just a tad from what the recipe suggests in order to be able to seal these little babies up. Speaking of little babies, these pies were destined for a very special event…my good friend Erin’s first baby shower! One of my favorite things about my pregnant friends (and by favorite things I mean things that really make me laugh) is how hungry some of them get. Erin is a quality example of this. She basically doesn’t ever stop eating these days.

(Love you, Erin!)

IMG_0848Something fun about these pies is that when they’re still warm, you get to roll them around in powdered sugar. Then they look super delectable.

Here they are with all of their other sugary friends.

IMG_0852Here are me and Erin and her baby girl enjoying some baby pies. Can’t wait to meet you, little one!

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Making the Grade

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in Custard Pie

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IMG_0834I followed Obi’s example and took a nap during the making of this pie. (Although I did not take the imitation so far as to nestle down in a pile of laundry.) It was necessary. That morning had been the last day of school for my students, and to say that the week had been ‘busy’ would be quite an understatement.

It’s okay though, I didn’t nap while anything was in the oven. I’m not that foolhardy. I only napped while the pre-baked crust was cooling. (Hint: this should tip you off to the presence of a cream or custardy sort of pie.)

Wanna see the main ingredient?

IMG_0831Yum yum yum. Maple Syrup! Now, for this Maple Custard Pie, Ken says to use lighter syrup, Grade A. I think this turned out fine. As long as you use pure maple, any grade will give it a nice flavor.

I find it ironic that after all my hard work grading and writing report cards that week, I still had to think about A’s and B’s as I made this pie.

IMG_0836Doesn’t it kind of look like a sweet potato pie? The darker syrup definitely lent itself to the color, as did the 4 egg yolks, since my eggs come from happy hens and have gorgeous dark yellow yolks.

We ate this with a bunch of lovely Australians, and it really did feel like summer had finally begun.

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Four years and counting…

24 Monday Jun 2013

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IMG_0794Nearly a month ago, Levi and I celebrated our fourth anniversary. (Say what!)

I just wanted to throw out a little love to a restaurant in Ventura that we happened upon when deciding where to eat that night. BBQ isn’t one of our favorite cuisines, and we had never heard of the place before, but for some reason we walked by the Saloon BBQ company and felt like we should give it a try. And we sure were glad we did. After an incredible meal (Fig Mtn. brews on tap-killer mac and cheese-vegetarian sloppy joe-fried okra-a cocktail that tasted like root beer, but better) we were given this complimentary piece of pie by the friendly staff. And it wasn’t even until afterwards that I told them we had had pie at our wedding four years earlier.

If you get the chance, go on over to their Facebook page and just hit the Like button. They’re a new place, so I’m sure they’ll appreciate it. Better yet, if you’re in Ventura anytime, go have some fried okra for me and let me know what you think.

Pie Upon Pie

22 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Berry Pie

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Levi starts to get really happy right around Memorial Day Weekend, because “It’s almost summer, and in summer the pies really pick up the pace.”

True.

Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching. But it kind of consumes my life during the school year, and by the end of May, I am as squirmy for summer vacation as my eight-year-olds are.

LOOK AT THIS RHUBARB! Thank you, Whole Foods, for actually having some awfully decent stuff. It’s hard to come by in California.

Photo1To kick off Memorial Day weekend, much to Levi’s disgust, I made a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Pie and gave the whole thing away to my cousin Alisa for her birthday. (I had made it once before.) Hope it was delicious, Jennings family!

Photo1-1We had guests for the long weekend, Celia and Ken from Baltimore. On Saturday night we had our first chaotic bring-something-to-share-don’t-mind-the-mess-or-the-dog-he-just-wants-to-eat-all-your-food barbecue on the patio. Good times. For this event I did make a new pie…Three-Berry Shortcake Pie. Man, berries are just SO delicious at this time of year.

photoMaybe it’s just cause I’m writing this post from Minnesota, but I can’t help thinking that little berry juice formation in the middle of the pie looks just exactly like Lake Michigan and Lake Superior…right?!! Or am I crazy?

photo-1Other highlights of the weekend included an excursion to the Getty Villa in Malibu and a jaunt to Chinatown. It was fun being in Chinatown so shortly after being in China. A bit anticlimactic though, to be serious.

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Photo1-4I found the mini pies. I tried the Black Bean variety. It was satisfactory. I’m now a bit interested in figuring out if there is some sort of pie in every culture. Besides bean paste pies and egg tarts (which I had in China) I can think of empanadas, quiches, savory meat pies, pasties, Jamaican patties…Could a samosa be considered a mini pie? Hmm. Will have to consider this further.

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Photo1-5Now that it really is summer, I’m making pies much faster than I can post about them. Stay tuned, and–as always–thanks for reading.

 

Shanghai Pie

08 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Apple Pie

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We spent most of my spring break this year in Shanghai.

*pinches self* Yes, that’s true. Wow. Amazing. We are so blessed.

The week was kind of a whirlwind, involving overnight trains and Great Wall hikes and all kinds of culinary…intrigues. But best of all was the time we were able to spend with our good friends Dan and Sylvia and little Grace. On the day before we left, we were ready for some down time, and Sylvia (who is Chinese) asked me if I could teach her how to make pie for Dan (very American). I thought I’d just share a few of my favorite pictures from our baking session with all of you.

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IMG_7653I love this last picture because it’s such a perfect image of America in China, apple pie with rosebud tea.

Also…

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If you’re interested in seeing more pictures from our China trip, send me an email at the.pie.diaries@gmail.com. I’d be happy to send you a link to our PhotoStream.