Friday 23 October 2009

Was it you?


I've never had a good hand with pastry. Home made or shop bought, it would refuse to roll out evenly, or break, or shrink away from the dish; the contents would leak, and the result was always amateurish and sometimes downright nasty. Until today! I'm squeaky with excitement about this apple pie, made from scratch this afternoon.


Somebody posted a recipe on their blog for the Algonquin's famous apple pie, perhaps even tasted by Dorothy Parker and amusing chums, and in a fit of fancying myself, I copied out the recipe and tried it. I actually made the pastry! Me, myself! Squeak!

And now I'm horrified to find that I can't remember who that sainted blogger was, and until they show their shining face to me, can't bow down before them, awe-struck and tearful with gratitude, and tell her (I can recall that it was a Her) "You Have Changed My Life!". Or post a link to the recipe on her blog so that you can all join in the beatification of the author.

If it was you, please tell me, and I'll insert a link; this recipe is too good not to be shared with the pie-eating world. Come on, step forward for your standing ovation!


No shrinking, leaking, overdone bits surrounding raw bits, this light, flaky pastry was so forgiving, even to a heavy-handed patcher-upper of pastry like me, and tasted just divine. I know this without cutting into the prize exhibit above because there was enough left over to make a smaller pie, now devoured by two timely visitors (they do have a nose for tea and treats in this street!) and me. With double cream. I'm not cutting into this one till tomorrow, when I'm taking a wedge of it to friends.

I'll certainly make it again - and possibly again and again, till I am so huge I have to be winched out of my house by firemen and heavy lifting gear - but I'll tinker with the filling. Cox's Orange Pippins make a fine pie, but I do prefer the tang of a Bramley, and a clove or two. I'm not sure that the freckled result of the final butter-dotting is attractive either, but really, who cares? Let's cut another wedge, pour that second cup of tea, and tuck in.

5 comments:

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

That looks good , freckles and all .
Brushing with beaten egg or milk is better than dabs of butter , perhaps . Mind you , it's years since I've baked much more than a scone , so my advice on baked goods isn't too reliable .
Once you're on your third slice , you won't give a toot anyway . Just remember to leave a piece for the man with the crane .

BumbleVee said...

ooooh, it looks yummy....I want to give one a try too.

Marie Rayner said...

Wasn't me, but it sure looks good! I'll have to try this for my Todd. He loves apple pie!

rachel said...

Still puzzling.... I was so sure it was Kristina, Bee or Marie.... certainly someone from Over There, because of the comment in the recipe notes about the difference in flour in Britain....

That's the trouble with reading blogs on other people's lists; you can wander far from home and forget how you got there!

Bee said...

Your pie looks absolutely gorgeous. And doesn't that pie crust "patch" amazingly well? It really does make every amateur feel like a virtuoso.

I feel like a proud mom! Thanks so much. xx

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