Pie has been around a long time. How long? A whole lot longer than I imagined. According to Wiki, as a food dish, they originated in ancient Egypt around 9500 BCE. Modern pastries, with their flaky, buttery layers and tasty fillings can be traced through France during the 17th and 18th centuries, spreading worldwide via colonialism and cafes in the 1800s.
I give Mom credit for my love of pie. As fourth in the line of fourteen children, she learned to make the perfect crust. She often used a 9X13 pan instead of a small round one. Most think this makes it a cobbler, but cobblers only have a top crust. Hers had both. Apple and blackberry with a scoop of vanilla ice cream are my favorites. Although, you won't find me turning down a slice no matter the flavor. I dare say this is my favorite dessert.
My daughter and I have tried to duplicate her crust. We watched and listened to her explain how it's done. Use the large bowl of flour kept in the pantry, add water, shortening, and work it with your hands until it "feels right." Somehow, I've never actually decided what that means, but Betty Crocker has provided the recipe I use. Not as good as Mom's, but it works.
The family's love of pie during the holidays is why the pie contest started. We even have a homemade trophy as seen in the picture below. These pies are from a few years ago. Now that the grands are old enough, we all participate. We're all currently trying to choose the winning recipe for this year's competition.
Do you have a favorite pie?
Linking to Tuesday Treasures
...Betty, I love pie and plan to make a favorite, concord grape pie!
ReplyDeleteI'll check that one out. Might be a good choice for the contest. :)
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