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Day 190: Chef Jesse

13 Oct

We met Jesse more than 25 years ago at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. A few days ago, my husband Emile and I attended a local chapter meeting of the American Culinary Federation. Jesse is currently the chairman of the board of the Southern Oregon Chapter and has been involved in this organization in way one or another for many years.

Jesse is a culinary professional, as is his wife Leslie. They are both are involved in a program called Prostart that helps young people gain culinary and managerial skills while still in high school. It is such a great program and I am glad that they are both dedicated to making sure that our future chefs succeed.

While we were at that meeting the other day, I found out that today is Jesse’s birthday and it just seemed right to bring him a pie to celebrate. Early this afternoon I prepped some Macintosh apples (my favorites!) and then added some blueberries to the mix and this is what it looked like:

Once this mixture was in the prepared crust, I topped it off with an oatmeal crumb topping. It baked for about an hour and this is what it looked like when it was done:

When I delivered this pie to Jesse, I met his Mom, Sheila, his three dogs, and was given a tour of his home. Jesse also insisted on giving me a few gifts: homemade sauerkraut and homemade garlic dill pickles. It is funny how this gift of giving has a way of bringing gifts to me as well.

I think the most wonderful thing in the world is another chef. I’m always excited about learning new things about food.
Paul Prudhomme

The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.
Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

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Day 189: Peter Buckley

12 Oct

A few days ago I received an email from our representative in the Oregon House of Representatives, Peter Buckley. It was a very well written message about what Peter thinks has brought our nation to it’s current economic crisis and what we can all do to make a difference.

One of the things that he mentioned in his message is that his salary is $22,000. When I read that I thought, “Why would anyone do that kind of high pressure job for so little?” It’s just a little over $400 per week to represent the citizens of Ashland. And, not only does Peter represent us, he recently accepted an appointment to lead the budget work in the Joint Committee on Ways & Means (responsible for a budget of $55 million!)

While I really don’t know Peter personally, what I like about him is that he is down to earth and approachable and willing to work for the best interests of our town. I like that you may see Peter at the market shopping for groceries or perhaps out walking his dog. Peter has to handle day to day problems as we all do. He lives among us and is aware of the various issues that we face in southern Oregon.

Late this afternoon, I brought an Apple Almond Pie to Peter and his family. It is my way of thanking him for all of the hard work that he does on our behalf.

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Day 188: Mike and Mary

11 Oct


We met Mike and Mary many years ago because they are friends of our neighbors. We knew them for years before I realized that I had worked with Mary’s brother at a restaurant when I first came to Ashland in the eighties. It always surprises me when things like that happen; finding those little clues that prove how connected we really are.

About six years ago Mike came to my aid when I was working on a project to send blankets to Pakistan after the earthquake in Kashmir. With the help of Ashland residents I had collected almost 400 blankets and needed to get them overseas. The Consulate General of Pakistan in Los Angeles told me that if I could get them to him, he would include them in a shipment to his country. That’s when Mike asked his company, Oak Harbor Freight Lines, if they would ship the boxes to Los Angeles without charge. It was a very generous act on his part and most appreciated.

More recently, I have had the pleasure of catering the weddings for each of Mike and Mary’s daughters. It was a joy to work with Mary on the menus and other details and I was thrilled that everything came together so beautifully. I loved seeing their friends and family on those occasions and felt honored to be a part of it all. I especially appreciated Mary’s faith this past summer. She did not doubt that I would be able to cater Ali’s wedding three weeks after I had broken my rib; her trust meant more than I can say.

This afternoon I made a Mushroom and Sausage quiche for Mike and Mary. They are both pretty busy and I thought it would be nice for them to have dinner waiting when they got home… a small gesture to thank them for the gift of their friendship.

Friendship isn’t a big thing – it’s a million little things. ~Author Unknown

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Day 187: Berniece

10 Oct

As I was thinking about my pie of the day this morning, I thought of Berniece. I first met her a few years ago and I was immediately impressed by her spunk and determination. Berniece is a fireball and I really am in awe of her. She has more energy than people half her age and she always seems to have something positive to say when we meet. That is a gift in itself.

A few years ago, I was working with Berniece on the committee for the 100th Anniversary of the Elk’s building in Ashland. The volunteers met several times a month for nearly a year to help make this event a success. Berniece was instrumental in helping us succeed. She and I put together several gift baskets for a raffle to raise funds for the anniversary celebration. Berniece put a lot of effort into creating lovely prizes for those raffles and we raised a tidy sum of money for the Elk’s centennial fund.

What I (factually) know about Berniece is minimal compared to what I feel that I know about her. Berniece is all heart… and that is apparent from the moment you meet her. She is tenacious when she needs to be and is fearless as well. We can all learn a lot about living by spending a few hours with Berniece.

This afternoon I brought a Mediterranean Quiche to Berniece at work. Unfortunately she was not in to receive the pie, but the young man who was working for her told me that he would call her right away to tell her that a pie was waiting for her.

What I would have said to Berniece if I had seen her is : Thank you for being such a great role model of living life to the fullest. I am honored to know you and I promise to do my best to follow your lead. With much admiration,
Karen

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Day 184: Bob

7 Oct

My husband and I have known Bob for a long time. He has been in charge of the weekly “Keyway” for our Rotary club for many years. Bob does a great job with this project and puts a lot of time into making sure it is perfect.

Recently Bob had trouble with his computer and he has been speaking with my husband about how to fix things. I share his frustration with the technical world. I told him that sometimes I can sit at the computer for an hour trying to figure out something and then I mention the “problem” to my son or daughter and they come over and push one key and “fix” it. Bob understood exactly what I was talking about.

Bob has a nickname and it is “Dirigo”. Someone told me that he thought it was a reference to Shakespeare. When I asked Bob about it he told me that Dirigo was the motto of the state of Maine. It is latin and it translates as “I lead” (or direct, or guide).

It makes perfect sense that Bob has taken this nickname. He is as steady as a rock, as dependable as the sunrise. There are few of his caliber, steadfastness, and modesty. And you should know that Bob would balk at these accolades.

This afternoon I made Bob an Apple Blackberry pie. Once the pie was baked, I called Bob to see if he was at home. When he answered the phone, I told him who I was and asked if I could stop by. He said, “Okay” and hung up. There is something about those Maine folks; they don’t mince words.

When I arrived at Bob’s house, he asked me how he could help me. When I told him that I had made him a pie his face changed. He certainly was not expecting this visit, or this pie, and he told me several times how wonderful I was. I think that it was wonderful to surprise Bob with a pie. He definitely deserves it and I am thrilled to have been the one to bring it to him.

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Day 183: Debbie

6 Oct

Today is a huge milestone for this blog (and me). As of today, I am halfway towards my goal of a making pie a day for a year! In a way, it feels as if I’ve only just begun – but it’s already been six months now.

And this all began because I had a crazy idea in the middle of the night to make “a pie a day” my gratitude project. The next morning I met my friend Debbie and asked her to talk some sense into me… but instead she encouraged me to follow through with this project, and I am very glad that she did. Debbie also sent me 250 pie tins so that I would not have to ask for my pie plates back every day (something I had not thought much about).

When I had my “grand idea” it seemed so simple – make a pie a day and give it away. There was no thought about the time it might take, the people I might meet, the emotions that would surface. I’ve spent time with folks that I might not have otherwise had the opportunity to visit; I’ve heard the words, “You’ve made my day” more times than I can count. It has been a wonderful experience so far and I am looking forward to see where the rest of the year takes me.

Today I wanted to thank Debbie for her tremendous support of my “pie” endeavor with a beautiful frittata. She saw my idea as something wonderful and I am most grateful for that.

Only she who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible. Claire Goldberg Moses

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Day 182: Dennis

5 Oct

Dennis Slattery has lived in Ashland for more than thirty years. He is a CPA with a masters in business administration and he is on the faculty of the School of Business at Southern Oregon University. He is also a city councilman for Ashland and has been very active with the Ashland Chamber of Commerce (he was elected president twice) and has served on the Ashland Economic Sustainability Committee.

Dennis was my daughter’s instructor for Managerial Accounting and he has been a mentor to her ever since. When I spoke to Dennis last spring about his job, he told me that he loves teaching and that he feels passionate about it. It’s not a job to him – it’s about helping students find the success that they seek.

Today I decided to bake an apple pie for Dennis. When his pie was baked, I drove to the university to deliver it to him. I circled the lot a few times but could not find a single space to park my car. Finally, I decided to park illegally for a few minutes so I could just run in and give him the pie. Unfortunately, Dennis was not in yet. In fact, he was not due for class for two hours. That is when I decided I would have to leave the pie with Kathy, the School of Business Secretary.

While I waited for Kathy to finish a call, the door on the opposite side of the office opened, and in walked, you guessed it, Dennis. It was absolutely perfect timing! Sometimes things work out like that.

To Dennis, and his lovely wife, Sandra, thank you for all that you do for others. We are really lucky to have you in our little town.

Day 181: Happy Birthday Linda!

4 Oct

When I was growing up I lived in a neighborhood called Stapleton on Staten Island. We lived in the “Stapleton Projects” which were built around 1960. What was amazing about this place was that literally hundreds of families lived inside of two city blocks. The apartments at the ends of the buildings had the most bedrooms and so families with lots of kids lived there: the Mulvaneys, the Lufranos, the Migliores. My family had two children when we moved in and we lived in a three bedroom apartment. My friend Linda also lived in a three bedroom apartment in my building. The difference – my family lived on the second floor, while her family lived on the eighth (read top) floor.

Linda was two years ahead of me in school… and while our perspectives were different, we knew many of the same people. Unfortunately, I have not been to a single high school reunion – mainly because I have lived three thousand miles away. Linda is one of my few connections to those long ago days – and I look forward to catching up with her when I go home for a visit.

Today is Linda’s birthday. When we were kids we used to joke about this day… saying something like “10-4 Good-buddy.” It’s been a while since I’ve seen Linda but, really, she always looks the same to me. Maybe that’s the way it is with old friends. Or maybe she has a painting growing old in the attic…

In Linda’s honor, this afternoon I made a Banana Cream Pie with a graham cracker crust. I considered a number of recipients before I “knew” where this pie was going. And it turns out that it was destined for the free dinner held each week at the United Methodist Church of Ashland. It was definitely the perfect place for this pie.

At about 4:30 PM, when I delivered the pie, a man greeted me and asked what I had to offer for the dinner. When I told him it was a Banana Cream Pie, he told me, “We were light on desserts.” And then my friend, Elaine, asked, “Is this your pie of the day?” I smiled and nodded and quickly left because I was filled with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, it felt great to be in a place where I was needed, while on the other hand, I felt overwhelmed by that very same fact. Maybe that’s just part of the journey I am traveling.

Day 180: Kathy

3 Oct

Kathy is the secretary at the School of Business at Southern Oregon University. Our family has known and appreciated Kathy for a long time. She has helped us to navigate the myriad details of college life with skillfulness, empathy and a sense of calm that is admirable.

Kathy does not reserve this behavior for a chosen few – she is professional, courteous and respectful to everyone who comes to her desk. And when you are a stressed out college student, having someone like Kathy around to help you is a real blessing.

When my daughter, Alex, arrived back on campus last week after having been away on exchange for two years, Kathy made such a fuss over her. As a parent, it felt wonderful to witness that warm welcome. And I am sure it helped Alex feel a bit more at ease.

Today I baked a sausage and roasted pepper quiche for Kathy. I thought that a woman as busy as she is might appreciate having dinner made for her. When I arrived at her office, I found out that she had already left for the day. Fortunately, Kathy does not live far from campus and so I delivered the quiche to her home.

Kathy invited me in to chat for a bit. As we sat and talked I learned something new about her. She and her husband originally came to SOU to be campus ministers more than thirty years ago. And while they are no longer active in that capacity, in a way, Kathy is still doing that kind of work – because she helps people every day.

Day 179: Preston

2 Oct

My husband met Preston Mitchell last winter when he volunteered to be the photographer for the Medford Food Coop and I met him at the grand opening celebration for the coop in August. Earlier this week, my husband had lunch with Preston and when he came home he suggested that I make a pie for him.

This afternoon we made an appointment to meet Preston in Medford. We enjoyed an exhibition of his photographs on display at the Rogue Valley Manor. One photo showed a very young Preston with his family having a picnic on the side of the road with their vintage 1916 car parked nearby. There were also photos of his daughters, kittens, and the Yosemite half dome.

In addition to being an accomplished photographer, Preston is a very active man. He plays in several bands in the valley ( he plays tuba, flute, recorder and bass), is an avid swimmer, and until a few years ago he could be found hiking the trails of southern Oregon. Preston is a wonderful example of a person with “joie de vivre.”

This afternoon as I was preparing to make a pie for Preston I considered the beautiful figs that I bought at the Ashland Food Coop and the gorgeous apples in the bowl on my table. Having never made a fig-apple pie I googled a recipe and found this one. I made few changes to the recipe. Here is what I started with:

About an hour later, this is the pie that I pulled from the oven:

After our tour, Preston walked us to our car where I presented him with his pie and explained my project. When I told him that his pie was made with apples, figs and walnuts his blue eyes lit up and he exclaimed how much he loves fresh figs. And though it might have been just a lucky coincidence to have made a pie with his favorite ingredients… I believe that there’s more to it than that. And it’s one of the best things about this pie journey… those moments when everything seems to come together perfectly.

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