The Joys of Pie

Thanksgiving was an easy, no fuss event this year, primarily for one reason.

I made pie crust that was better than my mother's.

I do not say that lightly as my mother's pie crust is nothing short of legendary. All of the women on that side of my family have well-developed baking skills. It's in our DNA. When I think back to the tastiest memories of my childhood (aside from fresh lobster off the pier in Shediac, New Brunswick), I remember buttery molasses cookies, moist chocolate cake, fresh bread and blueberry pie that made you lick the plate clean.

The thing with pie is that it's all about the crust. It really doesn't matter what you put in the middle because if your base is lackluster, the end result is always something mediocre. For YEARS, I laboured over my pie crust. I'd go through an entire can of Crisco® trying to make a single, 9" crust. I'd make a batch after batch of dough, only to have it fall apart so I'd throw it in the bin, cry and repeat the process. At some point, I'd call my mother, hysterical, begging her to walk me through the recipe and when she'd ask me if I was using ICE COLD water, I wanted to crawl through the phone and beat her with my rolling pin.

My more practical sister cousins urged me to give up the battle and just waltz down to the nearest grocery store and get some pre-made crusts. BLASPHEMY!! They reasoned that in the time that it would save me, I could drink several glasses of wine, which would help take the sting out of my inadequacy. I considered it.

But no, I was my mother's daughter. I would make pie crust from scratch and thus, I have dreaded every single holiday or special event since.

Until a miracle happened.

Her name is The Pioneer Woman. If you are not familiar with her, go visit. She's the type of woman you wish lived next door. She cooks with butter AND whiskey. You'll love her. And the pie crust recipe that she has shared with the world (find it here) is the best I've ever tasted.

I realize that to rhapsodize about pie crust likely makes me a complete loon and surprisingly, I'm okay with that. Several times over the holiday, it occured to me that I am my most relaxed when whipping something up in the kitchen.

Makes me think.