# 388: Counters Done

Cleaning, organizing and lightening my load feels great!

The Top Shelf

My mom always said to start at the top when cleaning so that’s what I did this weekend. With the help of a very sturdy step-stool, I climbed up carefully on to the kitchen counters to get to the top kitchen shelf. Once up there, I saw a task I could not put off.

Grease & Grime

This is an old house and there is no exhaust fan over my stove. There wasn’t in the house I grew up in either. I do have a little fan over my stove to encourage steam and smoke to flow out the kitchen window and it does fairly well, but when I climbed up to pull down the pie baskets and boxes I store up there there was a serious coating of grease & grime. With the pie carriers out of the way, I climbed back up with a make shift scraper … an old spatula … cleaning supplies, sponge and towels. I used the scraper and a lot of elbow grease to get off the yucky black gooey stuff which I then gathered into a sticky tacky black ball and placed in the garbage. Back up again to wash the shelf down as best I could. It looks a lot better. As I did only half of the top shelf, I’ll have an opportunity to do this ALL OVER AGAIN with the second half.

Why Would One Need Ten Pie Carriers?

While I was up there I remembered the only time I had need of using ten pie carriers. In the fall of 2016, the year Art of the Pie was released, my NY publisher asked if I could bring ten pies to the Fall Show of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA). Of course I said yes. The day before the show I made a lot of discs of dough, setting them in to the fridge to rest and chill overnight.

The next morning I got to work making fillings, rolling out doughs, crimping edges and making full and lattice tops. When all the pies finished baking, I had just enough time to change my clothes and get the pies and me into the car to drive two and a half hours to Tacoma WA. My son came with me so he could slice the pies while I chatted with bookstore owners who might become potential buyers.

We got to the venue, parked, found a luggage cart and piled all the baskets and boxes some with still warm pies in them on to it. We were directed to building where the event was taking place. We found the door, identified ourselves and were ushered into a big room where books were displayed on tables with authors next to them. I asked someone who looked like they were in charge where I should set up the pies and imagine my surprise when I was told that I couldn’t serve the pies because only food from the caterer could be served. I explained that my publisher had asked me to make them which had taken me two days and that I had just driven 2-1/2 hours to bring them. There was a short pause after which I was told that just this once serving them would be allowed.

The two-hundred books my publisher had sent to be given to premium level attendees were in piles on a table which fortunately was near a long cupboard at the back of the room. We took the pies out of the boxes and baskets setting them on the cupboard top. Dishes, forks and napkins were brought over and we set to the task of cutting and plating pieces of apple, cherry, peach, triple berry and whatever other ones I had baked up earlier. I placed one basket with a beautiful pie, made in the same pie pan that is on the cover of Art of the Pie, on the table right next to the books.

The doors opened and there was an instant line for Art of the Pie which I was told went out the door and around the building! For over two hours there was a steady stream of wonderful people asking me to sign their copy. Some had pie questions which I was happy to answer and a few shared pie memories of their own. Then they headed over to claim a piece of pie but only forty-five minutes into the evening we ran out! At the end of the event, we cleaned up, got the baskets and boxes back in the car, and drove home tired but very happy. It was a good day.

Art of the Pie received a coveted starred review in Publishers Weekly, the first of its many reviews, accolades and awards.

Back to The Task at Hand

After the reverie of that day, I got back to work deciding which of my favorite baskets and boxes to keep. There are times when I provide pies for very special events and sometimes I have as many as six out in the field. I’m the“official” pie-maker for the Takács String Quartet when they come to town, and pianist Jeremy Denk, violist Richard ONeill, and other world class musicians who perform at Music on the Strait. They have to keep up their strength so I bake for their rehearsals. And honestly, what is better than a freshly baked pie?

At the end of the day, I was pretty happy with the kitchen shaped up so quickly. There’s more to go but here are a few pictures of my progress.

BEFORE

The fan is above the stove to the left.

IN PROCESS

AT THE END OF THE DAY

Red symbolizes wealth and you can see a bit of the red tea-kettle I placed on the back left burner … the one that symbolizes prosperity. There’s lots more to go and I do feel energized. I’m not pushing myself to do everything at once as I know I’ll burn out if I do that, so it will be slow and steady to win the race.

Next up: Kithcen Shelves and Drawers.

What I’m Reading

Books Currently In Process
Change the Recipe: Because You Can’t Build a Better World Without Breaking Some Eggs by José Andrés
A collection of Chef Andrés life lessons.

Baking & the Meaning of Life: How to find joy in 100 recipes by Helen Goh
I’m about one hundred pages in and I think this one might become a classic. Sharing, Nurturing, Community, Ritual, Tradition and more, this hits all the spots for me.

What I’m Listening To

Bobby McFerrin’s songs have a positive presence that is much needed right now.

Freedom is a voice
Freedom is a song
Freedom is a spirit
For the people who are strong

Freedom is a city
Freedom is a land
Freedom is the courage
To take another hand

Writer: Bobby McFerrin
Writer: Russell Ferrante

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