# 345: How to Do A Pie-By and Recipe for Peachberry Pie
A practice of generosity in 3 easy steps and a favorite recipe for a Summertime Peach Raspberry Pie.
I imagine that every one of us at sometime or other thinks about changing the world in some way for the better. I can’t make big changes but I do believe that in small ways we can and do make a difference. For me, that means baking, cooking, teaching, and sharing. These are things I’ve been committed to most all of my life. One very special way I do this is engaging in the simple practice of Pie-bys. What’s a pie by? Read on!
Pie-Bys, A Practice of Generosity
A few years back, I had some extra baked goods and asked a friend if she might like them. She said she really didn’t eat much in the way of sweets but asked if it would be okay if she gave them to the elderly couple who were her neighbors. I said, “Sure!” She dropped by the cottage to pick them up at the end of her work day and we chatted a bit then she was out the door and on her way to do her first Pie-By. About fifteen minutes later there was a very loud knock at my door. I opened it and there was my friend glowing with the biggest grin on her face.
“Now, I get it! I totally understand why you do what you do! Giving these little treats brought more joy than I could possibly imagine!”
Well that made me super happy! Then with an extra bounce in her step that gave me a big grin, too, she turned and headed for home.
How to Do a Pie By in Three Easy Steps
Doing a Pie-By is easy.
Bake a favorite pie.
Take your still warm pie to a friend’s house…
…ideally when they are not around.
Leave the pie in a protected place where your friend can find it. That’s it!
What do we do with so much happiness? Well, another Pie-By of course!
The Practice of Giving
Giving is something I learned by the quiet example of my father. There were many stories about him shared at the celebration of life that took place at our home after his sudden death at age 54 in 1969. Most all of them had a theme of his generosity. One still stands out for me.
In Santa Barbara, where I grew up, there was a shoeshine man who had a stand just outside a fancy dress store near the Arlington Theater. He would always greet my father and me when we walked by. At my dad’s celebration of life, he sought me out and said, “Your dad was my best friend. When I didn’t have anything, he reached into his pockets and gave me everything he had.” I will never ever forget his words about the kindness of my dad who last week would have been one hundred and twenty.
The joy I feel when gifting a pie to family, friends and sometimes strangers is so life affirming and if my dad were still around, I like to think that my practice of Pie-Bys might bring him some joy, too.
Your Invitation to Join the Club
Whether you make a pie, some cookies, or cake, I invite you to become a member of the Pie-By Club. There are no meetings, dues, rules or regulations but there is a heck of a lot of joy!
What I’m Baking
Recipe: Peach Raspberry Pie
What You Will Need
9” Deep Dish Pie Pan
1 recipe Art of the Pie Dough double crust pie dough or dough of your choice
4 cups (450 grams), about 1 pound, peaches, sliced
2 cups (226 grams), about ½ pound, raspberries