#41: A is for Apple

A pie maker's alphabet with handy-dandy tips.

A is for Apple

• Whether mile high or lattice topped, there’s nothing like a steaming golden brown apple pie.

• Here’s the recipe I’ll be baking for Thanksgiving.

B is for Blessings

• Count your blessings every single day.

C is for Chill

• Keep Everything Chilled, Especially Yourself! (Kate’s Rule #1 of pie making and life.)

D is for Dough

• Never ever feel that you have failed if you use a store bought dough. No one is going to say, “I’m sorry but, you can’t come in because your dough is not made from scratch.” Most likely you will be greeted with a variation of “Oh! You brought pie!”

E is for Eggs

• Livestock aren’t laying eggs during this season so it’s off to the market for a dozen.

F is for Flavor and Fruit

• Fruit without Flavor = Pie without Flavor.

• Bake with pie-worthy fruit.

G is for Graham Cracker

• Graham crackers crumbs make great crusts.

Do you remember the sound the wax paper that used to wrap the packages of graham crackers made?

H is for Hot

• Use a good set of oven mitts, gloves, or potholders.

• Plan the landing place for your pipping hot creations. 

• Never ever pick up anything hot with something that is wet, as wet will very quickly transfer heat to your hands and could cause a burn.

I is for Ice Cream

• A freshly baked pie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes a piefect meal.

À la mode? Oh, those calories.

Calories? They are baked out of the pie and magically replaced with love, and you can never have too much love.

Two scoops, please.

J is for Juicy

• Don’t overfill your pie with juicy fruit or you could have a Clean the Oven Pie—one that erupts over the side of the pie pan, drips on to the oven floor, causing smoke alarms to go off while you utter a few choice words.

• Clean the oven while you wait for the pie to cool.

K is for Kindness

• Sharing a freshly baked pie is an act of kindness.

L is for Love

• If your day finds you alone, give and receive love by volunteering at a shelter, taking a freshly made pie to your local fire station, or leaving one for a neighbor who may be housebound.

M is for Muffin

• A muffin with a mug of coffee or cup of tea can provide a a much needed break in a busy day.

N is for Nice

• Be nice. Put that right up top with kindness and love.

O is for On and Off

• Remember the faces of contestants on the GBBO when they realize…

  Oh gawd! I didn’t preheat the oven!

• If you have a window in your oven, turn the oven light on when you start the preheat. It will also be a visual reminder to turn the oven off when the bake is finished.

P is for Pumpkin Pie

It just ain’t TDay without pumpkin pie!

• I’ll be doing a virtual pumpkin pie class on Tuesday, Nov 22. See you there!

Q is for Quince

• Add half a quince, diced, to an apple or pear pie.

R is for Refresh

• Refresh leftover pieces of pie for 6-10 minutes in an oven preheated to 325F.

• A gin and tonic is good, too.

S is for Spice 

• Spices lose potency and flavor over time. Ground spices will last 6 months to 1 year. Whole spices will last 18 months.

• Replenish and refresh your spices.

T is for Travel

• TSA allows pie as a carry on but the 4 ounce liquid rule applies.

• Add a little extra thickener to a traveling pie and cool completely so the juicy filling can set up.

• Place the pie in a box and set it underneath the seat in front of you.

• Don’t forget to bring your mask!

U is for Universal Pie

• How many ways are there to say pie?

V is for Vanilla

• When I was writing Pie Camp, a bottle of vanilla was over $35. The price has come down…some.

W is for Weight

• There are less bowls and measuring equipment to wash when you weigh with a scale. It’s very accurate, too.

What about that other kind of scale…you know, the one you stand on? (Ear worm alert!)

X is for (E)xtra Pie

• Extra pieces of pie made wth eggs or dairy must be stored in the fridge.

Y is for Yummy

• You know like…

  Yummy in my…

Z is for Zest

• A little citrus zest in pie can brighten up a filling quite a bit.

  Her pies have a certain zest.

P.S. Exciting news for ALL subscribers coming next week!