Easy as Pie Day (or, Another Perfect Pie Day)

Yesterday had a magic all of its own: the sun was shining, I gardened, I wrote, I baked. This is my third blog posting of the evening (or "of an evening" as they say in Kentucky) but I felt that my rhubarb pie efforts deserved a blog entry all of their own. We found some fresh local rhubarb at Sunny Valley Store the other day, over in Casey County, and I knew I had to make my husband a pie before I left he and the boys for six days! I often bake when I should be doing other things and yesterday's pie was no exception.

You see, since our famous pie day back in June 2007, a day infused with its own kind of magic, I have not made pie dough. Back in my New Hampshire kitchen I learned from the master, my friend Rosemary (a fellow Cupcake and friend), who patiently taught me, Edie (another Cupcake and friend), as well as my friend Linda, her pie secrets. We gathered on a lovely day in June in my big country kitchen with its granite counter tops (sigh) that, as it turns out, are perfect for pie-making.

For Christmas this year I received a food processor from my husband (our old one had croaked long ago), as yet unopened until yesterday. That certainly helps in the quest for the secret of perfect pie dough. Rosemary's recipe is also elastic from the vinegar while the combination of cold butter and shortening (OK, well, I used lard in place of the shortening) makes for a flaky, tasty crust.


I was in a bit of a hurry so the lattice is rather, um, disheveled. But as Temple said, it will still taste good!


Rhubarb Pie a la Catherine (deep dish required more rhubarb than called for in recipe, but that's OK--it still tasted mighty fine).

I must get back to my packing but just wanted to say: if I can make a pie crust and begin to conquer my fear of it (practice, practice), then anyone can.

NOTE: The pottery pie plate used in the photos above is a favorite find from Tater Knob Pottery, one of my favorite destinations in Berea, Kentucky.