Reflecting back across 2017, I have learned many valuable lessons. These reflections brought thoughts of making a pie. Fear not, following my retelling of last year, I will give pie hints.
Pies can be savory or sweet, substantial or light. Bitter fruits, like gooseberries, are made enjoyable and random leftovers become a meal unto themselves tucked away in a pastry shell.
Like bruised apples, cleaned, chopped and prepaed for filling, our days of 2017 rolled by, monumental, mundane, mesmerizing. My husband had two surgeries, our daughter passed away unexpectedly, and we lost our main source of income, due to a loss of contract. These things were the bruises and bug spotted apple parts of our lives this year.
The sweet parts were the true friends and tireless family that ran straight into our messy life and started holding us up. They listened and prayed, provided us with gardens to glean from and company to can and preserve with. There were two family graduations and an engagement. Part time jobs were started and slowly and steadily bills were being paid, needs met. The purpose of my life has been refined and solidified.
The true substance, the nutrition gained by pie, which is our lives in this metaphor of mine, is the Divine, the Lord God Himself. I now know what I know to be true. He is enough; His grace is sufficient. He is truly my Shepherd. There were no enormous miracles that appeared and erased all the pain and struggle but tiny bits of grace which arrived just in time, moments of great creativity which moved obstacles or solved problems. There was joy.
I intend to recount the frugile lessons learned this year and those I'm still learning and experimenting with. I'll share the tips and thoughts I had in helping my future daughter in law plan her wedding. Expect a post or two on how to create a nearly all hand made Christmas and the other blogs that inspired me. For now though, onto the pie hints:
1. I prefer a mixture of half shortening, half butter for the pastry. Frugile budgets: save this for special occasions. Shortening and lard are the most economical. Nutrition focused: coconut shortening and butter is best. Save tallow or beef fat shortening for savory pies. Tallow can taste of beef.
2. Once mixed, wrap dough in plastic wrap and leave in refrigerator. I'm a huge fan of small tasks. So this is marvelous for me. I can make dough and clean up my mess while I make breakfast in morning. Then I wrap dough, place in refrigerator and make the pie during supper prep or the next morning. Dough must set on the counter for about 15-30 minutes before it can be rolled out. For me this means, as I walk though the front door to open garage door, to put my vehicle away, I pass the refrigerator take out dough and set it on the counter, then head to the garage. By the time I've put the vehicle, my coat, and belongings away and am settled into making supper, it is time to roll the dough.
3. If a pie needs a double crust and I'm not up to the effort of rolling the second crust, I make the bottom crust exceptionally large and create a rustic tart. I place the extra wide crust in the pie plate, add the filling, and then fold and flap the pastry over the top. I'll include a photo later. Then I bake as usual.
4. Savory pies benefit from a wash of milk and a sprinkling of salt, and sweet pies, I brush top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
5. I freeze whole unbaked pies, ceramic pie plate and all, wrapped in two layers of plastic wrap and a unscented trash bag. In the AM, I unwrap and set in the oven to thaw and bake in the evening when I return home. The pie must thaw completely or the plate might shatter.
6. Extra pie crust, cut away from the top or bottom crust, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and baked at 450 degrees until golden is truly awesome served with apple sauce for dipping.
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