For The Love Of . . . Pie!

I think my mind is boggling at all this math first thing in the morning. LOL And cherry pie is my favorite--a few years ago I had the best cherry pie ever and now it's become a quest to have it again. I think I may have found a source. . .

Mmmm... pie. (have you noticed how the word "pie" is always accompanied by "Mmmmm..."?)

Count me in as a pumpkin pie fan. It should not only be available year round, but as an option for every meal. I wouldn't say no to lemon meringue, either.

I'd go for a rhubarb custard. But my youngest son, who is a bit of a cook, has done key lime and French silk for us today. I am willing to settle.

Pecan or Chocolate cream for me. Forget the fruit. Blah.

It's hard to pick just one favorite pie, but I will have to say that pumpkin pie with whipped cream is a slice of perfection. Here in my part of VA, we pronounce pie as a very short one-syllable "pi". For your enjoyment, here's a pie story and a recipe:

I have always loved to cook, and I began preparing the meals for my family when I was just ten years old. By that time, my grandmother was no longer able to grocery shop and cook our meals. She taught me how to cook, and we managed pretty well. My mom and grandfather worked full-time and I went to school. We each did what we could to keep it all together. My grandfather's favorite pie was mincemeat, and I decided to make him a pie one Christmas. It was a beautiful mincemeat pie with a golden, fluted-edge crust. I wanted to be just like my grandmother, so I sat my pie on a chair on the back porch so that it would cool quicker. My grandfather could hardly wait for a taste of that pie. It was a wonderfully clear and cold December day with a bright blue sky. Not a cloud in sight. A great day for birds! When I went back to get my prize-worthy pie, birds had completely pecked away the carefully fluted edge of the pie crust. They left a perfect ring of crumbs around the pie pan. I was devastated! My grandfather loved to tease me, and he told me that since there were no dead birds in sight, the pie was probably safe to eat! I cried, but he gave me a hug and took over that pie. He brushed off the top and cut away a narrow ring around the edge. Over the next few days, he managed to consume the whole pie. No one else would touch it! He told me many times that it was the best mincemeat pie he ever ate. It was the only one I ever made : (

GRASSHOPPER PIE
creamy, cool & minty fresh : )

1/2 cup (16 rectangles) finely chopped layered chocolate mint candies (like Andes mints)
1 (7 oz) container marshmallow creme
2 cups whipping creme, whipped
1/4 cup creme de menthe liquor
1 prepared chocolate cookie crust
toppings: chocolate sprinkles, chocolate mint candy--chopped, crushed chocolate cookie crumbs

Whisk together Marshmallow Creme and creme de menthe; stir until well blended. Stir in candy. Fold whipped cream into marshmallow mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Top as desired. Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer about 5 minutes before serving.

Yum!

@VirginiaC Whoa, you take the CAKE (so to speak).

Is there actually any such thing as a bad pie? I know @KwanaWrites might say no fruit, but Kwana, if we were to give you a slice of homebaked apple, would you really turn your nose up at it?

Of course, I've never had mincemeat.

We have a running joke in my family...my daughter and husband don't understand why I don't "get" the awesome power of pie. Don't get me wrong. I love cherry pie, blueberry pie, and apple pie. I also make a terrific pumpkin pie. But given the choice between pie and cake, I'll generally go for cake, which is apparently not "special" enough. I do, though, like Roy Blount's poetic description, which totally explains the allure of pie from my husband's perspective:

Pie, Pie
Me oh my
Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry
all at once, oh well, it's pie.

I have a recipe for pumpkin pecan crunch pie that is a family favorite at Thanksgiving. Used have a recipe for old-fashioned lemon meringue that was tart sweet and so mouth -wateringly good that my grandfather and I (with birthdays days apart) used to request it from my mom instead of birthday cake. Unfortunately the recipe got lost and the too sweet and bland substitutes I try from my generation's cookbooks just frustrate me. But for sheer spring brilliance, a fresh blackberry pie with the berries piled high and just coated in a glaze is my slice of heaven.

Key.
Lime.
Pie.
It's kind of a ridiculous pie, but if prepared properly, every bite is a smooth, melting, beachfront buzz.

In the spirit of St. Patty's day, and with one of the wee folk perched on my shoulder, I was recently searching the web for information on Irish foods and customs. I was truly delighted to learn that many Irish cooks have their own highly guarded family recipe for Apple Pie, and the recipe is passed from generation to generation. If you were visiting an Irish homestead, you would be quite an honored guest indeed if you were served a slice of apple pie with your tea.

IRISH APPLE PIE:

2 cups plain all purpose flour
Pinch salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup lar or shortening
2 tablespoons cold wate
2lb tart green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
a pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then using your finger tips rub in the butter or margarine and the lard or shortening until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add enough of the cold water to form firm dough. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line an 8 inch pie plate. Layer the bottom of the crust with apples. Sprinkle the sugar and spices evenly over the apples. Roll out the remaining pastry and use to cover the pie moistening the edges to seal the lid. Flute the edges and decorate with the trimmings of the pastry. Cut a vent in the top of the pie and brush the top with milk. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

Serve with vanilla custard sauce or cream.

Mmmm, pumpkin pie! I have a can of pumpkin sitting around from before Thanksgiving (it was a stressful time, pies were not baked last year!) and I just bought some frozen pie crusts. I think we will be having some pumpkin pie today!

Day late and a dollar short, but Pi is 3.141 made up of numbers, not letters. It is used in geometry, trigonometry and algebra. In the piping trades it is used daily to figure offsets and the like. You don't have to be a mathmatician to use it. Pi also has it's place in electricity (engineering level calculations).
...just saying...
food for thought.

@reject Right! of course! Numbers, not letters. The Pi thing just baffles me, however, no matter what the application.