18 Monday Mar 2013
Posted in Pie Academy
about the Pie Academy!!
It’s a wonderful website started by a pie baker (Ken Haedrich, the author of the cookbook I’m baking my way through…) for pie bakers of all levels.
Check it out here: http://thepieacademy.com.
If you sign up to be a member (it’s free!), you will reap the benefits in the form of discounted bakeware, step-by-step how-to videos, and original recipes in your inbox. The latest recipe, Cherry Almond Coffeecake Tart, looks just fabulous. Now if only I had a tart pan…
14 Thursday Mar 2013
Posted in Berry Pie, Pie Destinations, Summer Fruit Pie
Tags
It’s still good. I went back to confirm, and it has been confirmed. Check it out if you ever get a chance (The Republic of Pie in North Hollywood.)
A few items for your perusal.
Item 1: Pecan bar. Not pie, but very good nonetheless.
Item 2: Very pleased mother-in-law with quiche and strawberry-rhubarb pie. Made the mistake of saying out loud, “This is the best strawberry-rhubarb pie I’ve ever had,” forgetting that she has had mine.
Item 3: A Charming Chair.
Item 4: Chai latte with almond milk and a tiny strawberry rose with an even tinier dabble of whipped cream (a complimentary plate of which were brought over to our table whilst we dined.) 
Thanks again, Republic, for another lovely evening! Also, apparently you hosted a pie-eating contest tonight in honor of Pi day….fantastic. I just baked a pie. And ate at least six kinds, and taught my 2nd and 3rd grade students about pies and fractions. And screamed and cheered at 1:59 pm. (….3.14159. I know there is someone reading who doesn’t get it.) Pi day post to come.
10 Sunday Mar 2013
Posted in Berry Pie
Tags
All these weekend road trips lately. Sometimes handheld pies make the journey go a little faster.
07 Thursday Mar 2013
“What’s YOUR guilty pleasure?” asked the voluntary-but-actually-mandatory name and email sheet next to the free wine in my hotel lobby.
If you give me a free wine hour, I’m happy to answer a question. However, the term “guilty pleasure” has always bugged me, namely because I don’t really feel guilty about the things that I would list as my top pleasures. Such as, macaroni and cheese. Or pie.
(Or macaroni-and-cheese-pie. But I diverge.)
Our hotel (which was awesome and luxurious and I would highly recommend to anyone going to Salt Lake City) was odd in that it had a specified theme. A theme that we did not know when we made our booking. And that theme was “Guilty Pleasures.” What a weird theme. But because of this theme, we got lots of free wine and massages and things like a hot cocoa bar with bacon bits. 
So we drove out to Salt Lake City for the weekend (as you do) to see some special friends who we hadn’t seen in five years. Since they were out all the way from Sydney, it was the least Levi and I could do to get out there and meet up with them. Having received some not-so-subtle hints prior to that weekend, I decided that it would be in my best interests if a pie drove out to Salt Lake City for the weekend as well.
Now this, my friends, is what is commonly referred to as Ozark Pie. There is no actual pastry crust; however, the “batter” separates during the baking process to form a harder outer shell which acts like a crust. It’s like, the coolest thing ever. My book said, “If you have only one apple and a desire to make a simple pie, this one is for you.” And then I said, “Heck Yes.”
I must confess that this pie didn’t make it fully intact all the way to SLC. It was a long drive, and I got hungry. But most of it survived, and was consumed one cozy afternoon in our hotel lobby during wine hour, whilst playing an epic game of hearts. (As we clearly believe in compounding our guilty pleasures.)
Here are just a few of the many other pleasures (guilty or not) that Salt Lake City has to offer.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
French Toast Like No Other
Chocolate-Covered Bacon
A Surprising Amount of Delicious Craft Beer
Blankets with Arm Holes
Sheer Beauty
18 Monday Feb 2013
Posted in Apple Pie
Here’s a good way to begin the new year: drive out to Arizona in a van with some really amazing friends. Never mind that it’s incredibly cold. The snow is gorgeous in the Grand Canyon. Walk around the rim trail and work up an appetite.
Then go back to your friend’s parents’ vacation home. Continue to wonder if you can somehow stay there forever (cause it’s the cutest place you’ve ever seen) and while you’re at it, drink lots of wine and bake an apple pie using no recipe and only the memories of all of the pies you’ve ever made to guide you. Your friends can make a roast and gravy and Yorkshire puddings in the meantime, and then you can all have an incredible, cozy feast at 10:30 pm and go to bed feeling so warm and full.
15 Friday Feb 2013
Posted in Dried Fruit Pie, Nut Pie
Tags
Christmas, christmas eve, cloves, cranberry, DIY, funeral pie, holiday, ken haedrich, lemon, orange, walnuts
Pie 100! I put off baking this pie because I thought, “Pie 100 has to be the best yet.” “Pie 100 deserves a really special occasion.” “Pie 100 has to be over-the-top and awe-inspiring to all who encounter it.”
Then all of a sudden it was Christmas and I had to make a pie for Christmas. So I just made something I thought sounded yummy, and Christmasy. You can’t force this kind of thing.
My commonwealth friends will know what I’m talking about when I say that I think the most Christmasy taste in all the world is mince pie. I guess to be specific, that taste is cloves. But yes. Very Christmasy.
Ken Haedrich calls this pie Dried Cranberry and Walnut Funeral Pie, which doesn’t sound very Christmasy, or even slightly cheerful. But it definitely tasted like the holidays. It was eaten without fanfare, on a cozy Christmas Eve. 200 pies to go. I wonder how many will be baked in 2013?
Some of the key players.
Stirring the filling/crying in anticipation for Les Mis. Typical.
Sneakin’. Also typical.
This pie was such a good poser, I couldn’t help myself.
Pie in a sleigh.
Pie with a Levi.
Pie waiting to become a ghost of Christmas past.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. I hope you all had fantastic Valentine’s Days, by the way. One of these days I’ll start being seasonally accurate. But really, would that be as fun?
31 Thursday Jan 2013
Posted in Chess Pie, Chocolate Pie
Did you know that making pie is an occasion for playing dress-up?
It’s true!
My lovely friends Elona and Janine and I had rather too much fun taking these photos on Thanksgiving morn, as we made a Fancy Chocolate Chess Pie (Thanksgiving, I know. Ouch. What a slacker.) I had also made a Louisiana Browned-Butter Pecan Pie the night before, which I proudly showcase below.
And now for the nonsense…
It is very important that one wears pearls when baking.
Also that one has all of the proper ingredients on hand.
As well as the proper tools.
Begin melting butter and chocolate in a double boiler. This will only work if you wear heels at the same time
What puts the Fancy in Fancy Chocolate Chess Pie? Fine yellow cornmeal.
Don’t be alarmed if chocolate accidentally gets on your face amidst all of the whisking.
And another thing…spare aprons make excellent capes.
It would be rather a sin to let any Fancy Chocolate Filling go to waste. Just don’t let your dog lick any up.
This has been a real, honest-to-goodness portrayal of what it looks like every time I make pie.
(Just kidding.)
25 Tuesday Dec 2012
Posted in Pie Destinations
If you live in the general vicinity of North Hollywood, I’ve found you a destination. Republic of Pie is just about one of the most pleasant places to pass an evening that I’ve ever encountered.
Before I inundate you with pictures, let me sum up our experience in a few sentences.
‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving. (I know, wrong holiday.) Live music on Wednesday: a blast. Bottles were played. Jigs were danced. Furnished like an eclectic and cozy living room. Felt right at home. Savories were delightful, but piping hot. Don’t burn your mouth! Why have I never thought to put macaroni and cheese inside a pie? Friendly staff, including doppelganger of one Ellese Forbes. Earl Grey Lattes recommended. Hard to be critical when I mostly bake pies one or two at a time, but the pastry left something to be desired-not enough flake for me. Cute pictures in the bathroom. Pros outweighed cons. Hire me?
Have you ever been? What was your experience like? Comments welcome. Thanks RoP for spreading the joy of pie.
23 Sunday Dec 2012
Posted in Apple Pie
November was the month for Visitors. In fact, I think there were only a couple of days in total that our guest room was free. It was fantastic.
One thing about Visitors: they often expect Pies. Even the smallest ones.
When you see these items in your kitchen, it’s time to get excited. A Caramel Apple-Pecan Pie is likely on the way.
A total of 40 caramels are required for this pie. I love the saltiness of Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel caramels, so I used those. No regrets. When I first read the recipe, I thought I was going to have to unwrap and chop each caramel into quarters. Then I realized that I only had to cut up ten of them…the ones that go into the pie crust…and I stopped banging my head against the wall.
This isn’t the fastest pie ever to make (1. Pastry 2. Apple Caramel Filling 3. Pecan Crumb Topping 4. Caramel and Pecans) so be forewarned. 1000% worth it, though.
Would you look at that beauty?!
There are few things I enjoy more than a table full of good food, friends and family. And this night was especially special because it’s not often that I get a table full of New Jersey all the way in California.
Mike works for M&M’s/Mars, so his taste in sweets is impeccable.
His face here says, “I am Mike Robinson, and I approve of this pie.”
Even Obi tried to get his paws on a slice. Little rapscallion.
14 Friday Dec 2012
Tags
We really went back to the olden days on this one.
Todd, Abby, Benjamin, and Verity were coming to visit. (The last time they came was in February.) It was time to search through the pie book to see what apple ones still remained untested. Though the number of these is rapidly dwindling, I found one that suited my needs: Mile-Deep Apple Ring Pie.
When you make a pie that’s supposed to be a mile deep of apple rings, you borrow yourself a handy apple-ringer contraption. And you make your husband do most of the physical labor. Mostly so you can check out his muscles.
Apple peelings galore. Once when I was a young-un, I went on a field trip to an old cider mill and we all made apple pie together in a black cast iron baking dish, taking turns putting in chunks of apple and spooning flour-sugar-cinnamon all over the whole thing. This pie reminded me of that field trip. Look at how adorably rustic it looks.
Ken Haedrich will often advise to put pats of butter all over the top of your pie before adding the top crust. Who am I to question?
You may well wonder why anyone would serve a pie with a wooden spoon (although I hope I don’t have to explain why you would drink lots of fresh-pressed apple juice with it.) One little point of interest on this guy is that he has no bottom crust. So, there’s no neat way to portion out slices. Just break right through that flaky top with a spoon and scoop out all of the goodness underneath. Top with vanilla ice cream, always.
Share with your favorite people.
The Peace of Pie 