Thanks Grandma

Intro

Although she will probably never see this I just wanted to give a big sweet thanks to my Grandma for sharing her pie crust recipe with me. It has changed my pastry perception. In the last week I have made four pies (two peach, an apple and a chicken pot pie). Tomorrow I will be making the pie crust but skipping the filling. Nothing better than straight pie crust baked with a little cinnamon and sugar.

The recipe itself is not really in exact written form. Grandma had to make it in front of me to show me the texture and the feel of it to know if it was right. So if you are ever in my area I would love to share the technique.

I truly love the way Grandma’s bake. Every single baking book you buy now always stresses the importance of accuracy when measuring, the precision needed with mixing and the need for a scale, all that I agree with, but I love seeing older women in the kitchen who are so comfortable with their recipes that they just know how it is suppose to “feel”. In a sense that is more accurate than any scale because outlying conditions exist as such that even if you have the flour exact to the nearest tenth of a gram the moisture content due to weather conditions or other factors, may still alter the product. But if you know how the mix is suppose to feel and act then you can rely on your instincts more than technicalities.

All that to say, Thanks Grandma! What a cherished memory I will always have from the day I learned how to make the most perfect pie crust.

Grandma’s Pie Crust

2 cups All-Purpose flour

pinch salt

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

Combine all ingredients. Can either be pressed into the pan or rolled out between two sheets of parchment. Grandma uses this for a double crust but I often double this recipe as I like my crusts pretty thic.