Ship of Fools: The Pie Thread

Thread: The Pie Thread Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

American Thanksgiving is on Thursday, and aside from turkey, no food better represents that holiday than pie. So what is your favorite pie?

I must have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I would take sweet potato as a substitute, but really, it has to be one or the other, or it isn't Thanksgiving.

Pecan pie is another favorite. I recently learned that there are a lot of people out there who hate pecans in general, and pecan pie in particular. Fine. More for me.

And last, I have to acknowledge the many variations on custard pie that you find throughout the South. Buttermilk pie is heaven on a plate, and my grandma's lemon chess pie is the dessert course in my ideal last meal.

Posted by Martha (# 185) on :

Mmmm, pie. Despite not being in the US any more, I have some pumpkin puree in the freezer and I think a pumpkin pie may have to be created this week. Banoffee pie is delicious but my husband isn't really a fan, so I haven't made that for far too long. And a good lemon meringue is a delight.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

In Massachusetts all the way
From Boston down to Buzzards Bay
They feed you till you want to die
On rhubarb pie and pumpkin pie,
And horrible huckleberry pie,
And when you summon strength to cry,
“What is there else that I can try?”
They stare at you in mild surprise
And serve you other kinds of pies

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :

Around our house it is mincemeat,cranberry, apple pie. It came about one year when I was making a mincemeat pie and did not have enough mincemeat to fill the pie shell so I added some apples, and a handful of cranberries because they were sitting on the counter. Now it is our regular holiday pie along with pumpkin for Thanksgiving.

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

I think pies in the UK are savoury more than sweet, and our sweet pies tend to be double-crust ones (and apple pies made with cooking apples). I actually prefer what we would tend to call tarts and Americans would call pies - especially custard tarts. Southern-style cream pies look delicious.

Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :

Reminding readers that, in general:

US: pie=top crust
tart=open top
NA: pie= 4 inches or more in diameter
tart= 1-3 inches in diameter

John

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

So many pies, so little time!

Favourite pies include but are not limited to:

Steak, mushroom and Guinness with chips
Beef and Stilton (with chips)

Rhubarb pie (without chips)
Lemon meringue pie (ditto)

More if I think of it

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

In response to John Holding:

None of the pies I listed have a top crust.

I am sure it varies from region to region, but I think that in the States, a pie is usually deeper than a tart, with sloped outside crust. A tart will be shallow, sometimes with a fluted crust. The tart is a little showier, the pie has no pretension about it.

But no matter what you call it, I'll eat it.

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:

Steak, mushroom and Guinness with chips
Beef and Stilton (with chips)

Hmm, that's just given me an idea. I wonder how stilton would hold up to being steamed in a suet crust with beef and beer. Now the cold weather is coming in, I might have to try that...

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Graven Image:
Around our house it is mincemeat,cranberry, apple pie. It came about one year when I was making a mincemeat pie and did not have enough mincemeat to fill the pie shell so I added some apples, and a handful of cranberries because they were sitting on the counter. Now it is our regular holiday pie along with pumpkin for Thanksgiving.

Oooh, that sounds good! Can I stop by on Thursday?

Pumpkin and good mincemeat pies are definitely my favorites. (Mincemeat in the U.S. and mincemeat in the U.K. are apparently not the same thing.)

Also... pumpkin pies are always pies, and they never have a top crust.

Posted by Nicolemr (# 28) on :

Pie, wonderful pie!

Pumpkin, with whipped cream (or more decadently, ice cream) on top. Cherry, with a lattice top. Peach, mmmmmm..... Oh so many wonderful pies.

Lemon mereng pie doesn't have a top either, btw. Nor custard cream pie. Both delicious.

Shoofly pie, that scrumptious Amish treat. Also topless.

I just went and had a slice of sweet potato pie too. No top there.

But blueberry, and blackberry, with a light fluffy pastry top... oh yeah.

Pie. So many wonderful pies.

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:

Steak, mushroom and Guinness with chips
Beef and Stilton (with chips)
Hmm, that's just given me an idea. I wonder how stilton would hold up to being steamed in a suet crust with beef and beer. Now the cold weather is coming in, I might have to try that...

That does sound good...
I was going to say beef and ale pie with a suet crust, with a custard tart for later.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Pork Pie! Accept none but those with the "Melton Mowbray" protected designation of origin specifying where and how pies described thus can be made.

Failing that a good apple pie (with base and top, in the British fashion) made with shortcrust pastry. Ideally Mrs Sioni's shortcrust pastry.

Posted by art dunce (# 9258) on :

My favorite is Pecan pie. But it needs to be done correctly or it's just an unappealing, gloppy mess.

Posted by Starbug (# 15917) on :

The best apple pie I ever had was at a place called the Big Apple in Canada.

I like steak and kidney pie or homity pie (pastey crust filled with potato, onion and cheese). I had the most fantastic homity pie at the National Trust restaurant at Agatha Christie's house, Greenway. The portuon was huge and it was made with crushed new potatoes, cheese and grain mustard - delicious!

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Pork Pie! Accept none but those with the "Melton Mowbray" protected designation of origin specifying where and how pies described thus can be made.

Failing that a good apple pie (with base and top, in the British fashion) made with shortcrust pastry. Ideally Mrs Sioni's shortcrust pastry.

Pork AND apple is nicer still [Big Grin]

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

quote:
Originally posted by art dunce:
My favorite is Pecan pie. But it needs to be done correctly or it's just an unappealing, gloppy mess.

For a number of years, my uncle brought something he called a "Texas Pecan Pie," which included a lot of chocolate and a top crust of some form. Which is just wrong. All you need is a pie crust, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, and pecans. Anything else ruins a perfectly simple and delicious treat.

Posted by Leorning Cniht (# 17564) on :

And just to introduce a whiff of sulphur, I'll consign to the other place the kind of infidel who takes some kind of stew, puts a bit of puff pastry on top and calls it "pie".

Posted by Alex Cockell (# 7487) on :

Someone had to...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlk36vgygh4

Posted by Pulsator Organorum Ineptus (# 2515) on :

A pie has to have pastry base, sides and top.

If it doesn't have pastry on top, it's a tart, or maybe a flan, but definitely not a pie.

If it only has pastry on top and not underneath and at the sides, there isn't a name for it and it belongs in the dustbin.

Steak and kidney gets my vote every time.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

Anyone else a fan of the movie "Waitress"? The main character coped with a difficult life and marriage by baking incredibly great pies with appropriate names like "I Can't Have No Affair Because It's Wrong & I Don't Want Earl to Kill Me Pie". (cinnamon custard) Here are recipes for five of them.

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pulsator Organorum Ineptus:
A pie has to have pastry base, sides and top.

If it doesn't have pastry on top, it's a tart, or maybe a flan, but definitely not a pie.

If it only has pastry on top and not underneath and at the sides, there isn't a name for it and it belongs in the dustbin.

Steak and kidney gets my vote every time.

A Teviot pie is lovely though. And it can be argued that a cobbler is a type of pie.

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
And just to introduce a whiff of sulphur, I'll consign to the other place the kind of infidel who takes some kind of stew, puts a bit of puff pastry on top and calls it "pie".

Like this? [Biased]

Well, it's not puff pastry at least.

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

This Thanksgiving, I'm making a Provençal onion tart (using the Good Vermouth and everything) and, as always, pecan pie. It's part of my culture and heritage; pumpkin is something people feel compelled to eat because it's Tradition (never liked the stuff myself), but pecan is what you eat because Karo corn syrup is in your blood. Cherry's also nice, but pecan is Obligatory.

Other good pies at other times of year: peach and blackberry in season—though both make better cobblers*, quite frankly—strawberry rhubarb if you're in the mood (and in a part of the country where rhubarb pie takes the place of pecan). There's a pie shop with a few locations in the area that does a vanilla custard pie topped with locally made vanilla wafers coated in fudge—the cookie floats to the top to form a bit of a crumb crust, with a layer of fudge underneath, supported by the custard. It's not something to eat every day, but with a cup of Zeke's coffee and/or a Natty Boh, it's a nice treat.

Savory pies—SS, I fixed your quote for you:

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Pork Pie! Accept none.

I think I've gone on enough rants about my opinion of rotted Spam in perfectly good pastry that people here know what I think of pork pies, protected origin or not. There are other savory pies—fish pies (one day, I'll try stargazy pie…), shepherd's pie topped with mashed potato, STF (sausage, tomato, fennel) pie, SMOG (steak, mushroom, onion, Gruyere) pie—and a whole world of handheld pasties, empanadas, and patties, filled with all manner of delicious things, that why anyone would settle for pork pies is beyond me.

*Cobblers are more common in places where peaches are usually grown; I'm not sure if there's a formal definition of the difference, other than one has the crust on top and is square-ish, the other has it on the sides and is round-ish, though I've heard some, usually from outside proper cobbler country, insist you should use a biscuit (US) dough for cobblers. Eh, my mom used the same dough for peach cobbler that she did for pecan pie, as did everybody else I know. Now that I think about it, though, I think cobblers have to be fruit-based; I've yet to hear of a chocolate or lemon chess cobbler, although chess pies and cobblers are both very Southern things.

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Graven Image:
Around our house it is mincemeat,cranberry, apple pie. It came about one year when I was making a mincemeat pie and did not have enough mincemeat to fill the pie shell so I added some apples, and a handful of cranberries because they were sitting on the counter. Now it is our regular holiday pie along with pumpkin for Thanksgiving

Pigwidgeon asked, " Can I stop by on Thursday?"

Fly by anytime.

Posted by Sober Preacher's Kid (# 12699) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Starbug:
The best apple pie I ever had was at a place called the Big Apple in Canada.

I like steak and kidney pie or homity pie (pastey crust filled with potato, onion and cheese). I had the most fantastic homity pie at the National Trust restaurant at Agatha Christie's house, Greenway. The portuon was huge and it was made with crushed new potatoes, cheese and grain mustard - delicious!

I live 40 km north of there currently, and used to live in that very village. I drove by the Big Apple every day on the way to work.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

Oh, yum! Pie!

Mince meat is my very, very favorite. I do enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, however.

There are so many different varieties, and what a shame to not be able to indulge every day.

We used to pick wild blackberries that were almost the size of my thumbs. Those went into deep dish pie. (If you're going to make one, might as well make a big one.)

Rhubarb with homemade vanilla icecream, blueberry, peach, cherry...all good. Daughter-Unit makes fantastic cherry pies!

Mom used lard for the crust when I was young. There is nothing like lard crust for a mouth-watering pie.

Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :

quote:
Originally posted by John Holding:
Reminding readers that, in general:

US: pie=top crust
tart=open top
NA: pie= 4 inches or more in diameter
tart= 1-3 inches in diameter

John

DAmn and blast. That first bit should have read:

UK: pie = top crust, tart=open top.

John

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Og, King of Bashan:

quote:
Originally posted by art dunce:
My favorite is Pecan pie. But it needs to be done correctly or it's just an unappealing, gloppy mess.
For a number of years, my uncle brought something he called a "Texas Pecan Pie," which included a lot of chocolate and a top crust of some form. Which is just wrong. All you need is a pie crust, sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla, and pecans. Anything else ruins a perfectly simple and delicious treat.

HEATHEN! BLASPHEMER! Chocolate makes all better.

One of my favourite on any side of any pond is Sweet Potato. The spices of pumpkin, but richer. When done correctly, it almost does not need chocolate.

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

When I still ate sweetened pies, my very favourite was a raisin pie. When I was younger, coconut cream.

In my old age, I like savoury pies. Despite being a vegetarian, I have a proper pork pie in my freezer which I will cook before I leave. Tortiere! [Yipee]

Some quiches also turn my crank.

Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on :

I like a good pot pie but they're supposed to be just dreadful for one. Too much fat and cholesterol. My dear mother used to make homemade pot pie from odds and ends leftover from holiday meals... yum! It's funny, she made all sorts of pies when my sisters and I were growing up. She made or bought pumpkin pie but I never liked it then, thinking it looked "gross". When I lived in Seattle in the 1990's, my friend, Sr. Mary had me try pumpkin pie for the first time in my life and I was floored at how wonderful it tasted! Who knew a Catholic nun would get me hooked on pumpkin pie, but there it is. Real whipped cream is so much better than "Cool-Whip" on any pie. Mmmmmmmmm, pie!

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

I can make grand pies if they just have a top crust. I have given up making proper pies as mine always suffer from soggy bottoms.

Anyway, less pastry makes them healthier! [Biased]

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

Cobblers that I was brought up with (Kent, UK, Sussex background of mother) had fruit underneath and a crust made of scone dough (biscuit US) cut with the scone cutter and arranged on top. Not peaches, since we lacked them.
A memory is lurking of school dinners with a savoury (as in not sweet, not as in tasty) version with meaty chunks underneath - good for portion control if nothing else.
Do crumbles count as pies?

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :

If you like carbohydrates, nothing beats a macaroni cheese pie. Served with chips, of course.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I can make grand pies if they just have a top crust. I have given up making proper pies as mine always suffer from soggy bottoms.

I bake the empty pie crust for about fifteen minutes before I put in the filling. It prevents sogginess.

Moo

Posted by BessHiggs (# 15176) on :

It's very hard to find anyone round these parts who makes proper pumpkin pie, or my favorite, butternut squash pie. I'm not a huge fan of most typically southern pies. I don't like pecan pie, chess pie leaves me cold and pies with calf-slobber, aka meringue, skeeve me out. I do like caramel pie, but it has to be slobber free or I just can't stomach it.

Posted by Og, King of Bashan (# 9562) on :

quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
HEATHEN! BLASPHEMER! Chocolate makes all better.

I like a simple pie filling in a well made crust. I like to taste the different flavors melding together. If you add chocolate, your pallet just gets sledgehammered by the chocolate, and you can't taste anything else. Don't get me wrong, I like chocolate on its own, and a good chocolate chip cookie is a wonderful thing. But if you actually want to taste the pie, leave the chocolate for a post-nap snack.

[ 27. November 2013, 16:19: Message edited by: Og, King of Bashan ]

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

For once, even I'm going to have to take the anti-chocolate on everything side. With anything, sure—a bit on the side is nice. And chocolate pecan pie is tasty; it's just not pecan pie. Now, my non-drinking family also insists that if you add bourbon to pecan pie it's either "bourbon pecan pie" or an abomination (a waste of good pie, ruined by nasty bourbon), but I prefer the woodsy, richer vanilla flavor of bourbon or dark rum to the assertive, fruity vanilla of, well, vanilla.

And BessHiggs, meringue, if made properly, is not "calf slobber." Made improperly (not enough sugar, not stiff enough, won't support a mound three feet high) or old, yes, it is watery. Made properly, it actually has texture (yes, really!) and, suddenly, makes sense. It took me a while to understand this myself…and a few disappointing pies after The Pie to understand why I used to not like meringue.

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

Pie = short pastry surrounding filling (in other words sides, deep bottom & top)
Tart = shallow pastry top with "wet" sweet hot filling
Tart = deep pastry bottom with "solid" cold sweet filling
Flan = shallow pastry bottom with savoury filling (may also be called Quiche)
Flan = sponge base & sides with sweet filling
Pudding= suet pastry with hot filling

So a set custard tart will have a pastry bottom but a rhubarb tart will have a pastry top only. The reason for this is that some fruits produce so much liquid that a pastry bottom doesn't cook.

And before anyone argues the case and cites Tarte tatin the only reason this works is because it is actually cooked with the apples on the bottom and is only flipped the other way for serving. Theoretically you could make something similar with rhubarb but in practice the rhubarb so loses shape that you're left with a mess.

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:

quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I can make grand pies if they just have a top crust. I have given up making proper pies as mine always suffer from soggy bottoms.
I bake the empty pie crust for about fifteen minutes before I put in the filling. It prevents sogginess.

Moo

Yes, I blind bake too, I have a jar of beans I keep for that purpose.

I also use a scone dough to make Cobbler, I was taught to make a meat one in cookery lessons at school.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Scrap of conversation between two cooks overheard in a canteen many years ago:

"We've got lots of this spaghetti bolognaise sauce left over. What shall I do with it?"

The answer came back promptly: "Put it in a bowl, put a pastry topping over it and call it a pie."

While it's true you can put anything into a pie, some fillings work better than others...

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Scrap of conversation between two cooks overheard in a canteen many years ago:

"We've got lots of this spaghetti bolognaise sauce left over. What shall I do with it?"

The answer came back promptly: "Put it in a bowl, put a pastry topping over it and call it a pie."

While it's true you can put anything into a pie, some fillings work better than others...

Yum with a polenta or garlicky mashed potato topping though, or even garlic bread slices sprinked with grated cheese.

Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :

I spent the day making pies for tomorrow. Pecan and pumpkin. Separately.

Posted by piglet (# 11803) on :

I'm not a huge fan of pastry (except the odd mince-pie at Christmas). However, potato-topped pies are a different matter - D. makes the nicest shepherd's pie I've ever had. Technically it's usually cottage pie (made with minced beef) or occasionally moose-herd's pie (use your imagination [Big Grin]

), and much nicer than any we've ever had in even up-market restaurants.

A good fisherman's pie is also a thing of beauty (especially at Porter's Restaurant in Covent Garden in London), but it must have smoked haddock in there somewhere ...

Posted by Sighthound (# 15185) on :

Steak and kidney pie! Mmmmmm. All day long.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

I'm definitely feeling a game pie coming on (by which I mean one with bits of rabbit and venison in, rather than one which puts up a fight when you eat it).

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

When a farmer friend has some to spare he lets us have the odd bit of venison which, if its the right kind, gets cut small, casseroled and given a potato/celeriac/carrot top.

The children have christened it Bambi pie [Biased]

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
...

The children have christened it Bambi pie

My friend has a theory that the cuter the animal, the tastier the meat. [Smile]

We've got into the habit of making whatever leftovers are available from Christmas dinner into pie. Delicious, and changes year to year.

Otherwise pork pie (from my local cheesemongers is the best) or steak and ale. And a vote for Yorkshire Curd Tart for afters.

[ 28. November 2013, 14:00: Message edited by: ArachnidinElmet ]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:
given a potato/celeriac/carrot top.

What do you do? Just mash 'em up together? I prefer vegetable toppings over pastry tbh.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

A really good shepherd's pie is a wonderful thing, especially on a winter's night.

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

Firenze

We have root vegetable mash (the children call it Dead Mash, claiming the contents are anything that looks "tired"+ on the vegetable rack.

Anyway, usually potato based: if using celeriac and/or carrot start them cooking first, then add your spud. I usually put in 4-5 cloves of garlic too. Drain very well (especially if using swede) and then mash really well over a low heat with butter and at least half a teaspoon of black pepper.

If you want a really crispy topping top with a dusting of breadcrumbs and parmesan before putting in the oven.

Brilliant for supper parties: its all in the pie, no need for extra veg. All-purpose, works with chicken, Cottage (beef), Shepherd's (lamb) Babe (pork) or Bambi (venison) pies.

For FISH PIE I use straight mash: on top of the fish mixture (which has a few prawns or scallops if entertaining) I put a layer of mashed hard-boiled egg, then a layer of chopped spinach or chard before the potato.

Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :

Tart = a hand-held thing and you eat it all. Christmas is tart time, with the tarts among all the other dainties.

Dainty = sweet squares, not cake, like Nanaimo bars, O Henry slice, matrimonial cake (which is not cake), date squares.

Pie = gets cut into pieces and you serve it out. Mostly as the final course of a meal. Rarely not a dessert.

As for pies I like the mostest: Seasonal, as in Xmas: maple sugar pie

Other times of year: does no-one like lemon meringue, banana cream, rhubarb?

Savoury pies? only tortiere. or maybe a quiche.

What about crusts?
Do you folks make your own crusts or do you use, as we say here "store boughten" pie crusts. Me, I make boiling water pastry.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Thanks, L'Organist. I'm a great believer in the all-in-one meal: sort of northern lasagna.

Champ is another good topping - potato mashed with milk and butter and chopped scallions.

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

Supper parties? Do you live in the 70s and/or Sloanesville, L'organist? [Razz]

Root veg mash is lovely indeed though.

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :

I have a bit of a problem with the nomenclature of shepherd's pie/cottage pie. I clearly remember my mother creating one of the former, mincing up the left over Sunday joint, which was beef, and explaining that the roughed up left over mashed potato represented the shepherd's hair, while, if in new potato season, the sliced left over potatoes represented tiles, thus cottage pie. (She came from Sussex, but it was Dad's family which had the shepherd in it.)

I have checked in two old recipe books, Beeton and an old Scots one, from which the joke about leaving the eyes in the sheeps head may have been derived, and both apply the name shepherd's pie to pies giving a choice of either using beef or sheepmeat (mutton or lamb). The splitting of the names by source meats appears to be more recent.

It has occurred to me that sheep meat would not normally be available to shepherds any more than to anyone else. They did not usually care for their own property, but someone else's, and having the meat would have been from theft. Unless it was the odd bits that arose at lambing time. Tails and other parts.

However, I sometimes make a variant which Marks and Spencers sold for a while. (They often have lovely products which I will go out of my way to buy, which they then stop selling. Odd that.) The meat part of the pie is lamb with mint, and the mash has fresh or frozen peas mashed in with the potatoes. Lovely.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Shepherd's pie in my family has been lamb only for generations. Anything else is cottage pie. I make extra gravy with the roast and add in mint sauce and sometimes, parsley.

When grazing first stated here in 19th century, shepherds were often employed to look after the sheep. A custom brought over from other countries. Meat was definitely part of the wage, along with some rough hut in the bush.

Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :

quote:
Originally posted by no prophet:
Tart = a hand-held thing and you eat it all. Christmas is tart time, with the tarts among all the other dainties.

Dainty = sweet squares, not cake, like Nanaimo bars, O Henry slice, matrimonial cake (which is not cake), date squares.

Pie = gets cut into pieces and you serve it out. Mostly as the final course of a meal. Rarely not a dessert.

As for pies I like the mostest: Seasonal, as in Xmas: maple sugar pie

Other times of year: does no-one like lemon meringue, banana cream, rhubarb?

Savoury pies? only tortiere. or maybe a quiche.

What about crusts?
Do you folks make your own crusts or do you use, as we say here "store boughten" pie crusts. Me, I make boiling water pastry.

I've made a lot of pie crusts from scratch in my days, but for the life of me I can't tell the difference between my crusts and store boughten ones.

I make hot lard crusts for pork pies, of course.

Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Lothlorien:
some rough hut in the bush.

Hyuck hyuck kersnipp kersnipp arf arf etc.

Posted by no prophet (# 15560) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
I've made a lot of pie crusts from scratch in my days, but for the life of me I can't tell the difference between my crusts and store boughten ones.

I make hot lard crusts for pork pies, of course.

It's only that we then know what's gone into the crust. We never use lard. Unsalted butter, that's the thing.

For gluten free (one of our kids has Celiacs for which wheat is toxic), crumbled gluten free cookies is best, with some butter to bind it. Lard is not reliably gluten free surprisingly.

[ 28. November 2013, 23:01: Message edited by: no prophet ]

Posted by Zach82 (# 3208) on :

quote:
Originally posted by no prophet:

quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
I've made a lot of pie crusts from scratch in my days, but for the life of me I can't tell the difference between my crusts and store boughten ones.

I make hot lard crusts for pork pies, of course.
It's only that we then know what's gone into the crust. We never use lard. Unsalted butter, that's the thing.

For gluten free (one of our kids has Celiacs for which wheat is toxic), crumbled gluten free cookies is best, with some butter to bind it. Lard is not reliably gluten free surprisingly.

I cut shortening into flour, then add a couple spoonfuls ice water, just like my mother taught me. Then I switched to Pillsbury pie crust, just like my mother taught me.

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :

I do make or buy dessert pies for thanksgiving. I don't do well with pie crusts and I'm fonder of cobblers, grunts, slumps, buckle or boy bait.

Pumpkin pie is the classic thanksgiving dish. In New England I used to encounter squash pie as a variant. Pumpkin pie is best made with heavy cream and not condensed milk and topped with fresh whipped cream.

Apple pie is my other thanksgiving pie. Always use 3 kinds of apples.. maybe a deep dish version. It can be topped with a lattice or streusel crumb and vanilla ice cream or a slice of cheddar cheese.

I'm not a big fan of pecan pie as it is usually too sweet and I don't live in a place with good southern cooking. Pecan pies have become very expensive. The reason is that the Chinese in the last decade have developed a huge taste for American pecans ( they don't grow in China) and are buying a quarter of the US crop now.

I love a good tart lemon meringue pie. Don't care much for key lime pie and love sour cherry pie as well as blueberry pie and strawberry rhubarb pie. Custard pie and Buttermilk pie don't show up here much but one of the local chefs has a spectacular coconut cream pie with white chocolate. Peach pie here is a very short season an usually eclipsed by the various berries that are so good fresh that cooking them seems unneeded.

When I was growing up there were a few places who had Bavarian pies and more berry cream pies. They don't seem to be around here, perhaps undercooked eggs made them too dangerous.
Another rarely seen pie is a strawberry cheese pie, it's been replaced by large cheesecakes in a bunch of silly flavors.

That is all. Time to put away the turkey before my slice of pumpkin pie.

Posted by Carex (# 9643) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Zach82:
I spent the day making pies for tomorrow. Pecan and pumpkin. Separately.

We combine them to make Pump-Can pie. It started as a joke, then we realized it actually would work. Not as sweet as traditional pecan pie, but that is more to our liking. This year we didn't have a pie crust and decided to make it gluten-free by simply pouring it into a baking dish without a crust. Also added some grated coconut on top. The baking dishes can be covered and fit in the fridge better than a pie pan. Not that it lasts very long... between the two of us we've already eaten half of it.

Posted by Ariston (# 10894) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Palimpsest:
I do make or buy dessert pies for thanksgiving. I don't do well with pie crusts and I'm fonder of cobblers, grunts, slumps, buckle or boy bait.

Okay, most of those I recognize from my copy of Joy of Cooking, but "boy bait?" That's a new one by me. Google tells me it's usually made with blueberries, and, looking it over, it reminds me of Nantucket cranberry pie (which isn't a pie at all, technically, more cakeish…something)—but that's quite a name, that one.

Posted by georgiaboy (# 11294) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Graven Image:
Around our house it is mincemeat,cranberry, apple pie. It came about one year when I was making a mincemeat pie and did not have enough mincemeat to fill the pie shell so I added some apples, and a handful of cranberries because they were sitting on the counter. Now it is our regular holiday pie along with pumpkin for Thanksgiving.

I've (almost) always added apples to mincemeat, but had never thought of cranberries. THANK YOU!

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

quote:
posted by Jade Constable
Supper parties? Do you live in the 70s and/or Sloanesville, L'organist?

Supper parties?? What are they? I didn't use the two words.

Unless I can time travel (don't think I can) we're in the same space-time continuum - 21st century, second decade.

Sloanesville? Not a place I know - in the USA somewhere?

FYI "Entertaining" usually means I've a house full of the children's late teens/early twenties friends. They're not in my house because we're rich or we've got the space (2 v small bedrooms, 19 yr olds in bunks from necessity, not choice) but because I see a family home as being somewhere for friends of all the family to come, not just the parents. So on rare occasions "entertaining" may mean some of my friends will sit down to eat a meal - cheaper to eat at home than in a restaurant anyway.

Do I detect some silly class slant in your post? If so, you should know that "supper parties" would NEVER be used by 100% 24 carat ABs - the correct usage is "kitchen supps"

[Biased]

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:

quote:
posted by Jade Constable
Supper parties? Do you live in the 70s and/or Sloanesville, L'organist?
Supper parties?? What are they? I didn't use the two words.

Ah well now, you did -

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:

Brilliant for supper parties: its all in the pie, no need for extra veg.

But I knew what you meant. (I may have fewer hulking weans around the place, but I share the approach to communal food sharing).

Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :

quote:
Originally posted by L'organist:

quote:
posted by Jade Constable
Supper parties? Do you live in the 70s and/or Sloanesville, L'organist?
Supper parties?? What are they? I didn't use the two words.

Unless I can time travel (don't think I can) we're in the same space-time continuum - 21st century, second decade.

Sloanesville? Not a place I know - in the USA somewhere?

FYI "Entertaining" usually means I've a house full of the children's late teens/early twenties friends. They're not in my house because we're rich or we've got the space (2 v small bedrooms, 19 yr olds in bunks from necessity, not choice) but because I see a family home as being somewhere for friends of all the family to come, not just the parents. So on rare occasions "entertaining" may mean some of my friends will sit down to eat a meal - cheaper to eat at home than in a restaurant anyway.

Do I detect some silly class slant in your post? If so, you should know that "supper parties" would NEVER be used by 100% 24 carat ABs - the correct usage is "kitchen supps"

I am of course very much teasing [Big Grin]

As Firenze points out, you definitely DID mention supper parties!

(I don't think I've ever even attended a bog-standard dinner party although that's probably just my introverted dad who doesn't like lots of non-family round the house)

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

Dinner parties just sort of creep up on you. There you are, spooning out spag bol to a few friends round the landlady's Formica and next thing you know it's 5 courses with different cutlery for each one and even separate glasses for the white and red.

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :

Supper parties should have read SUPER parties - but I suppose that brands me too???

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

You are Jilly Cooper and I claim my £5.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Shepherd's pie and champagne was what Jeffrey Archer was said to have served at his dinner parties, IIRC.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Dinner parties just sort of creep up on you. There you are, spooning out spag bol to a few friends round the landlady's Formica and next thing you know it's 5 courses with different cutlery for each one and even separate glasses for the white and red.

I'd prefer the spag bol, with unmatched cutlery. There's pleasure to be got from a single course, well made. Faffing about lowers the enjoyment factor.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Shepherd's pie and champagne was what Jeffrey Archer was said to have served at his dinner parties, IIRC.

I've never been keen on Champagne. Shepherd's pie and pale ale is another matter. Yum.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by balaam:
I've never been keen on Champagne.

Oh goody. Can I have your share?

The greater part of what I cook is one course meals, but sometimes it's fun to push the boat out. And if you're going to drink something extraordinary - I'm thinking of a 1944 Setúbal - it needs a build up.

Posted by Angel Wrestler (# 13673) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Pulsator Organorum Ineptus:
A pie has to have pastry base, sides and top.

If it doesn't have pastry on top, it's a tart, or maybe a flan, but definitely not a pie.

If it only has pastry on top and not underneath and at the sides, there isn't a name for it and it belongs in the dustbin.

Steak and kidney gets my vote every time.

[/B] [B]If it doesn't have pastry on top, it's a tart, or maybe a flan, but definitely not a pie.

Yes it does; it's called cobbler!

Posted by Angel Wrestler (# 13673) on :

quote:
Do you folks make your own crusts or do you use, as we say here "store boughten" pie crusts.

I make a mean pie crust! Flaky and just right. However, I promise you that I simply cannot make a crust without slinging flour everywhere! Therefore, I now buy crusts. The roll-out kind where the canned refrigerated biscuits are (such as Pillsbury) is actually ok. Not as good as mine, but mine - er - WERE better than most, if I do say so, myself, and the roll-out refrigerated kind are as good as most others' pie crusts. [Razz]

... the only part of baking I ever had a knack for was pie crusts.

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariston:

quote:
Originally posted by Palimpsest:
I do make or buy dessert pies for thanksgiving. I don't do well with pie crusts and I'm fonder of cobblers, grunts, slumps, buckle or boy bait.
Okay, most of those I recognize from my copy of Joy of Cooking, but "boy bait?" That's a new one by me. Google tells me it's usually made with blueberries, and, looking it over, it reminds me of Nantucket cranberry pie (which isn't a pie at all, technically, more cakeish…something)—but that's quite a name, that one.

Blueberry Boy Bait, a coffee cake with blueberries, was the winner of the national Pillsbury bakeoff one year. The girl who won with the recipe said boys found it irresistible.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Ah. I thought when you said "a coffee cake" you meant a cake made with coffee flavourings (which is something I like a lot). But the recipe doesn't call for any. I assume you mean a cake to have with your coffee... I haven't seen that distinction used over here, cake is cake, mostly with either tea or coffee and a lot less usually as the end of a meal.

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

The constituent bits of the game pie are currently thawing. My proposed MO will be stew the meat with onion, carrot, juniper berries in a rather nice Spanish red for, what, 45 minutes? Slap on a puff pastry lid and an egg wash and 25 in a hot oven. That sound about right?

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Ah. I thought when you said "a coffee cake" you meant a cake made with coffee flavourings (which is something I like a lot). But the recipe doesn't call for any. I assume you mean a cake to have with your coffee... I haven't seen that distinction used over here, cake is cake, mostly with either tea or coffee and a lot less usually as the end of a meal.

As you suggest, a coffee cake is usually served with coffee. Unlike ordinary cake, it is frequently served for breakfast; it is not normally served at the end of a meal. It may have a glaze on top, but never thick frosting.

Moo

[ 30. November 2013, 13:11: Message edited by: Moo ]

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :

Cinnamon-brown crumbles on top is a favorite on coffee cakes.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Ah. I thought when you said "a coffee cake" you meant a cake made with coffee flavourings (which is something I like a lot). But the recipe doesn't call for any. I assume you mean a cake to have with your coffee... I haven't seen that distinction used over here, cake is cake, mostly with either tea or coffee and a lot less usually as the end of a meal.
As you suggest, a coffee cake is usually served with coffee. Unlike ordinary cake, it is frequently served for breakfast; it is not normally served at the end of a meal. It may have a glaze on top, but never thick frosting.

Moo

Yet another pond difference. East of the Atlantic coffee cake contains coffee.

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :

That's an interesting difference. By coffee cake I did mean a cake for eating with coffee. It often has a marbling of brown sugar and cinnamon and is covered with a crumb topping. I think it's originally German or Dutch in origin and frequently has a lot of butter. It's usually considered a breakfast pastry.

When I was in high school, there was a German Delicatessen at the terminal stop of my bus before I had to climb a very steep hill to School. They made a variant which had apple slices mixed in the crumbs. The odd thing was that the topping was burnt black. It was a little odd to come in every day and see a new burnt cake.

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