by Amanda Milholland

It is raining today, not a drizzle, a downpour. Weather like this inspire me to cook. While I write, I am dreaming of my kitchen warmed by baking pies and soup on the stove. The aromas mix, the perfume of home. Standing on small chairs, my two girls (4 and 6 years old) crowd to watch, their fingers reach for bits of crust or the stray apple slice.

As a pre-teen, pie was one of the first things I endeavored to cook on my own. I learned to bake pies in part to show my dad appreciation. My dad grew up loving pie-- his grandmother’s home-baked pies that awaited his family when they came for a visit. As the smell filled the kitchen my dad would reminisce about warm pie and homemade shirts created with love by his grandmother.

Local squash and apples are abundant at the Food Co-op. It’s pie time! I’m going to let you in on a few secrets developed over my years of baking pie.

A pumpkin or squash, you choose:

For years, I thought that to make a pumpkin pie I needed a pie pumpkin. However, one year when I was directing the Jefferson County Farmers Markets a farmer suggested that I try making a Butternut or Buttercup squash pie. I accepted the invitation preparing three pies for our extended family Thanksgiving. I didn’t tell anyone which pie was made from which squash. Other than the squash, each pie had the same ingredients with a few adaptations based on the squash. I added more cream to the Buttercup and Butternut pies because the squash are more dense than pumpkin. I reduced the sugar in the Butternut pie because the squash was so sweet on its own. I was in suspense as my decerning, foodie family tasted each pie and cast their vote. It was a tie! Each family member had their favorite. Of course, my dad-- a lover of the classic pie-- was head over heels for the Midor Farm Winter Luxury Pumpkin pie. I loved the added flavor complexity of both the Butternut and Buttercup squash pies. I invite you to experiment this fall and winter to find your favorite pie squash.

Apples and Pears Together Beyond Compare:

I once tricked my dad. It wasn’t on purpose. I was making use of windfall fruit. I served him a slice of pie that surprised and delighted him, “The best apple pie ever!” However, it was half apple and half pear.

We have a great selection of locally grown apples and pears in the Produce Department from Solstice Farm, Dungeness River Lamb Farm, and Tonnemaker Hill Farm. Consider combining several varieties of apple with a handful of pears for a truly succulent pie. Pears add flavor complexity and cook down more quickly than apples for a tender, rich pie.

Crust:

Over the years I have found that what makes a good pie is as much the crust as the filling. My secret for a great, flaky crust is to use butter AND vegetable shortening. This combination gives the rich flavor of butter while making a melt in your mouth crust. Here is the recipe for double crust I use adapted from America’s Test Kitchen:

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ sticks cold butter grated or cubed

½ cup chilled vegetable shortening chopped

6-8 Tablespoons cold water

For preparation directions and a variation of this recipe visit: https://www.tfrecipes.com/americas-test-kitchen-all-butter-pie-crust/

Happy pie making!