Day 276: Rock Star Pie

7 Jan

This morning I started looking for recipes of pies that I have never made before. One caught my eye – it’s called Chess Pie. I thought that a pie with this name might be black and white (like a chess board) but one source said that it was a pie that was made when “pie ingredients” (read fruit) were in short supply. An enterprising person created this recipe and supposedly said it was “just pie” which eventually became known as Chess Pie.

It’s a traditional southern pie and is basically a sweet custard with the addition of cornmeal. It sounds interesting… and probably is good but I am not ready to make it for someone without tasting it first myself. If someone out there has made it, I would love it if you would share your story.

Instead of a new pie, I opted for one that I have made a few times before… Chocolate Pecan Pie. To me it is among the best of pies for it has nuts, chocolate, and it is delightfully rich. Best of all, it is fairly quick to put together which is a plus when your schedule gets a bit hectic.

My intended pie recipient is a friend who lives nearby but because he travels quite a bit I don’t see him very often. My goal was to surprise him and therefore I did not call ahead to make sure that he was home. When I got to his house and knocked (and knocked again) I should not have been surprised when he did not answer. I walked a short distance to his neighbor’s house and he assured me that my friend was home so I went back to his house.

Again I knocked and called out and then finally gave up. As it was getting dark I walked back to the neighbor’s house and told him that since I could not reach my friend I wanted to gift the pie to him. He thanked me and told me that he was meeting up with his band tonight and he would share it with them. I hope that it both nourishes and inspires them.

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
Aldous Huxley

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Day 275: January 6

6 Jan

The date of January 6 is known by several names.  According to a few sources, it is called Little Christmas and it is celebrated by people in various countries in Europe.   It is also known as the Feast of the Epiphany  – the day that the wise men came to visit the baby Jesus and thus revealed to the world that he was the messiah.  Still others refer to this day as Twelfth Night, a celebration which brings an end to the twelve days of Christmas.

For our family this day has greater significance – it is the day that we lost my Mom.  It’s been 23 years since she passed and yet the memory of that day is still so vivid.  Our world changed in an instant.  When I look back it is like looking at two pictures – before and after, or rather, with her and without her.

Anniversaries such as this one are hard to forget, and harder still to talk about.  It’s almost like a  gentle dance of words with my sister and my Dad…  because I think we feel the need to say we remember and yet we don’t really want to dwell in sadness.

It was very important for me to find a way to honor my Mom with today’s pie and when my friend Laurel suggested the Lithia Springs School I thought she had the perfect solution.  I called to ask for permission to bring a pie to the school and found out that at this time that there are currently 27 students attending classes. That would mean that I would need 4 pies!  Instead, I decided to prepare a large pan of Apple Blueberry Cobbler so that I would have enough to feed everyone.

Laurel came with me to deliver the “just out of the oven” cobbler and on the way we hurried in to Shop ‘n Kart for 3 half gallons of vanilla ice cream to make this dessert even more memorable.  We were greeted at the school by several of the students who offered to help us carry in the goodies.  One of the teachers had plates and utensils at the ready and she proceeded to serve the cobbler and ice cream to the students (and some of the staff too).  It was really heartwarming to see them all enjoying the treat.

One of the staff who had arrived a bit late asked who had brought the goodies and why.  I don’t think she really was expecting an explanation but I told her that this was my way of remembering my Mom. It only seems fair that since she always had a way of making things special for me, that I should bring something special to share with these young people who might not experience that very often.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

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Day 274: Baked with Love

5 Jan

Sometimes I am asked if I ever dread “having” to make a pie.  Perhaps it’s hard for some people to believe that I really look forward to making a pie everyday. But I don’t have to make a pie a day… I get  to make a pie a day.  It’s my choice and privilege to do this… and that makes all the difference.

How could you not look forward to telling someone that you care about them?  For that’s what I am doing.  But instead of using the phone or a Hallmark card to do that, I am mixing flour and butter to make a crust, cutting fruit and tossing it with sugar for a filling and baking it all in an oven turned to 375.  An hour or so later out comes a piping hot, golden brown pastry,  filled with as much love as I could squeeze in.

Nine months ago when I began this project, the following words were a part of my very first post:

I’ve long been a fan of the book/movie “Like Water for Chocolate”.  In this film the lead character is a wonderful cook who infuses the foods that she prepares with the emotions that she is feeling at the time.  I hope to infuse the pies that I make with love and good wishes to all that receive them.

All these months later, my hope remains the same.
When I delivered my pie yesterday, the lady who received it asked if I had already chosen a pie recipient for today.  When I told her no, she asked if I would please bring a pie to a friend of hers who going through a very difficult time.   And of course I did….  baked with love, and sent with my best wishes for health and healing.

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Day 273: A Pie for a Caring Friend

4 Jan

Apple Pie

As has happened many times before, one of my pie recipients  called to thank me for their pie.  After a few moments, the conversation turned to “how do you choose who to give a pie to?”  When I told her that sometimes people recommend someone they know that they think is deserving of a pie – and often it will be someone I have never met before.  Then she quietly asked, “Can I recommend someone to you?”  Well, if you have been following this blog for any time at all, you know the answer to that question, “Of course.”

Then I asked a question of her, “Would you please tell me why this lady deserves a pie?”  And as she began to speak I could hear that she was overcome with emotion and I knew that she was trying to regain her composure.  Without hearing one word of accolades about the future pie recipient, I knew that she must be quite a friend and my response was, “She sounds like a great lady.  I’d be happy to make her a pie.”  And so today I did just that.

It’s funny isn’t it?  Sometimes we say a lot without saying anything at all.

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.  Henry David Thoreau


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Day 272: Lisa and Lulu from Sanctuary One

3 Jan

Pumpkin, Potato, Carrot and Delicata Squash Pie

A few days ago I received an email from Robert Casserly, the director of Sanctuary One, the first non-profit care farm in the United States.  Care farms are farms where people, animals, and the earth work together for mutual healing.  Sanctuary One is located in the Applegate region of southern Oregon.

Robert told me that he had discovered my blog and that he liked what I was doing with pies and if I ever had the desire to make a pie for a few pigs, he knew just the pigs to give it to.  This morning I emailed Robert to ask if today would be a good day to visit the Sanctuary and later he called back with an emphatic “Yes.”  He thought Lisa and Lulu (the pigs) would be delighted to receive a pie and gave me some suggestions as to the ingredients:  no sugar needed for the pie, keep it vegetarian, and the best advice, “pigs will eat just about anything.”

One pie didn’t seem quite enough for two pigs and so I baked three smaller pies using mashed pumpkin, potatoes, and carrots.  I wanted to make them extra special and so I cooked off some delicata squash as garnish and arranged it and some parsley atop the finished pies.  Then I drove out to the Applegate to deliver the pies.  I was accompanied on this trip by Laurel, a young lady who wanted to videotape this pie delivery.

About an hour later, we arrived at Sanctuary One and were met at the gate by Sansa, the animal care manager. She let us in and took us over to where the animals were fed.  The pigs waited inside the barn while we arranged the pies on a large boulder and once that was done we were led outside of the gate for our own safety (because the pigs get so excited at feeding time!)

Then Sansa let Lisa and Lulu out of the barn and those pigs actually ran to the boulder and began slurping up the pies. It was a bit of a frenzy and they were enjoying every minute of it!   In no time at all their happy faces were smeared with pumpkin and the only thing that wasn’t devoured was the parsley garnishing the pies.

Once Lisa and Lulu were led back into the barn, the goats came over to the boulder and ate up what was left.  It didn’t seem fair that the goats hadn’t had a pie of their own, and that got me to thinking that there just might be another pie day at Sanctuary One with enough pie for all of the animals.  I imagine that will be a sight to behold!

For a list of ways that you can help Sanctuary One in its mission, please click here.

And for more photos of Sanctuary One, click on the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/SanctuaryOne/6421505367/in/photostream  or enjoy a youtube video of the pigs eating leftover Halloween pumpkins here:

http://youtu.be/TkBETO_d6D8

Thanks!

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Day 271: Joe the Shoemaker

2 Jan

What a beautiful day it was here in southern Oregon… and unseasonably warm.  We went for our morning walk, and instead of the  multiple layers of clothing that I usually wear at this time of year, I was walking without my jacket for most of the walk.   I know this isn’t good for the snow pack but I liked the warmth and sunshine.

As we got closer to home, we took a detour so that we could walk through the new development that is going in across the street.  As we passed Joe’s house we noticed him out in his yard.  We stopped to wish him a Happy New Year and wound up chatting for a little while and learned a few things about him that we did not know before.

  • Joe was a shoemaker for 56 years!
  • He began his apprenticeship when he was just 15
  • Joe and George Washington share the same birthday

Joe also told us about his children and he mentioned that some family members were staying with him and his wife for a while.  And that’s when I decided that I would make Joe a pie today.   At first I had been thinking, I should give him a pie on February 22 (for his birthday) but then I thought, why not celebrate now while his family is here?

Today I wanted to try a new recipe and perused epicurious for a while and then I found a recipe that sounded really tasty: Sweet Ricotta Cheese Tart.  And of course I did not follow the recipe exactly.  Instead of making their crust, I made an almond shortbread cookie crust and pre-baked it before adding the filling.  I added a bit of amaretto to the filling instead of vanilla to complement the almonds in the crust.   When it was done baking, I decided that I wanted to add a fruit topping and so I sautéed some fresh, chopped pineapple in butter and brown sugar and placed it on the cooled pie.  I think it looked good enough to eat!

When I brought the pie to Joe’s house, his wife Helen met me at the door. I told her about how we’d talked with Joe earlier and how I had made him a pie and she was so surprised and pleased. She thanked me and asked if she could give me a hug. How could I refuse?

As I was writing about this I was reminded me of my dear friend Jim Matteson. Jim used to give out business cards (he was a realtor) that said “The bearer of this card is entitled to one free hug (or more)”! On the back of the card was Jim’s philosophy for living a long and fulfilling life: Everyone needs 4 Hugs a day for survival, 8 Hugs a day for maintenance, and 12 hugs a day for growth.

Here’s hoping that you’re getting all the hugs that you need.

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Day 270: Welcome 2012

1 Jan

This morning as I scanned Facebook posts wishing everyone a Happy New Year, I read a note written by my friend Aimee.  She mentioned that she had recently been told about a website called 750 Words.  You can read more about it here, but in a nutshell, we are encouraged to begin each day by writing 750 words (roughly three pages).  It is based on an idea promoted in the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.  As I understand it, it’s a way to release all the “clutter” in your mind so that you can allow the important thoughts, ideas, etc. to come through.

I’d read about this “practice” a few years ago, and from time to time I have begun my day in this way.  The first time I tried it, it was hard to imagine what I would find to write about but in a few minutes the words began to pour onto the page and in ten or 15 minutes I was done.  Each successive attempt at writing my three pages has been equally successful.

So, why don’t I do this more often?  I suppose sometimes I get lazy or I forget about it or maybe I feel too busy with other things.  But I think that will change with the “750 words” website.  One big difference is that you are typing and not writing long hand (which makes reading my work infinitely easier!) and there are little rewards built-in to make it fun.  Today it took me about 15 minutes to get to 750 words and I felt better at the end of the exercise.  While not really a New Year’s resolution, I hope to make this a daily habit and encourage you to see if it is something that would interest you.

As for my pie of the day,  a neighbor of mine mentioned that her friend Peggy might like to receive a pie.  She thought a quiche might be appreciated and that was pretty much all that I needed to get started.  I cooked bacon, spinach and onions and grated some sharp white cheddar for this pie.  In no time at all it was in the oven and an hour or so later we were on our way to deliver the quiche.

I was met at the door by a man who welcomed me in and went to announce me to Peggy.  When she first saw me, she definitely seemed a bit curious.  Immediately I mentioned my neighbor’s name so that she would feel more at ease and then I briefly explained my pie project and that today’s pie was for her.  When she had heard my tale,  Peggy’s beautiful smile was the best reaction I could ask for… and an absolutely wonderful beginning for the new year.

Because that’s what kindness is.  It’s not doing something for someone else because they can’t, but because you can.  ~Andrew Iskander

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Day 269: Happy New Year

31 Dec

image

While today is indeed New Year’s Eve, it is also the birthday of my son’s good friend Dylan.  Coco and Dylan met when they were toddlers and have maintained their friendship all these years.

And they have both been exchange students – Coco to the Czech Republic and Dylan to Japan.  We couldn’t be prouder of them for what they have accomplished.

Tonight I brought Dylan a pumpkin pie for his birthday – because it is his favorite.  I wish him a new year filled with all things good.  And I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year.

Day 268: Sh*t happens

30 Dec

This morning we woke up to a rainy day here in Ashland. I wondered if I would even venture out for a walk with our “grand-dog” but around about 9:30 AM I saw that the rain took a break and I dressed for a potentially wet walk. The walk turned out to be glorious. The sun eventually peeked out and my walk was a lovely meditation on the day.

When I returned home I noticed that the sliding glass door on the back of the house looked strange. On closer examination I determined that it had somehow shattered in the time it took to take my walk. How that happened I still have no clue, but this is what I saw when I returned from my walk.

This changed my day as you might imagine. Now the important thing to do was contact the glass company (Ashland Glass) and hope that the glass would not break all over my deck… and luckily it didn’t. When Chris from Ashland Glass showed up he took one look at the glass and knew that it had to be removed. Darn it! And I still had a pie to deliver!!

About that pie… a few days ago I was driving through town and was about to pass by my friend Tom’s house when I thought of who had owned the house prior to him…. and that was our dear friend Nicholas. I have always been amazed at how Tom and his wife Janet took Nick’s small house and transformed it into the home that it is today. As all those thoughts were careening through my mind I noticed that Tom was standing there by his truck unloading stuff and I knew that I had to stop and say hello.

How interesting that our lives intersected as they did… like threads in a cloth. And if you pulled on one thread, it would lead to other connections. I think that is pretty neat… we really are all connected, whether we want to admit it or not.

Today, Laurel (the filmmaker) came to my house at 3PM and filmed me putting together a Chocolate Cream Pie for Tom. As I had all of the ingredients ready it took less than twenty minutes to do so. However, I had told Tom’s wife, Janet, that we would deliver the pie after 4PM and so Laurel agreed to return at that time.

At about 4:15PM Laurel and I arrived at Tom’s home to deliver the pie and Tom was not there. Janet and Laurel and I talked for a bit and we were about to leave when Janet noticed that Tom’s truck had arrived. That’s when the fun began! Laurel and I snuck out the back door and waited until Tom had entered through the front door. Then we ran to the front door and knocked. When Tom answered the door we were able to present him with his pie… and in due time told him that we’d already been there for 15 minutes prior to his arrival. Sneaky? Perhaps, but his expression when we gave him his pie was priceless.

So, I have to admit that this day did not turn out as I had planned. But who really plans for their glass door to shatter? I think that John Lennon said it best, “Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans.” And so we do the best we can… and for me, that means that my new glass door is on order and my Chocolate Cream Pie is at Tom’s house (hopefully being consumed!) And for now, all is right with the world.

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Day 267: Richard

29 Dec

For the past year and a half my husband, Emile, has been working for the Medford Food Coop. This coop opened in August after a long process and it seems to be gaining ground each day. There is an amazing group of people working to make sure that this venture succeeds and we are so very happy that they we have them on our team.

In addition to the great management team, Emile and I are both thankful for the encouragement and support from the Ashland Food Coop, and especially from the manager of the Ashland Coop, Richard Katz. Richard has been a friend and mentor for years but in this last year he has been an incredible source of support. He has shared his expertise and willingly offered his time whenever needed. That support has been invaluable to Emile and his team in Medford.

Today a young lady, Laurel, began interviewing me about this “pie project.” She filmed me as I made my pie and asked questions about various aspects of the whole process. I told Laurel that I wanted to give today’s pie to Richard and she agreed to meet me at the Ashland coop to film the delivery of the pie. And with all that going on I forgot to take a picture of today’s pie! It was a lovely Apple Crumb Crust pie… and I am embarrassed that I forgot to capture a photo of it.

But on the up side, it was fun to have someone film the “delivery” of a pie, for that has not been done before. And to see Richard’s smile when he saw the pie was great… the icing on the cake as it were. The gift of a pie is a small gesture but I hope he knows how much his support has meant and how grateful we are for his continued friendship.

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