The Odyssey Continues: Peach Pie

Continuing the Baking Odyssey, I made two miniature peach pies on Friday. I had two not quite ripe peaches, and I really wanted them out of my refrigerator. I love peach; the color, the fruit, the cheesy phrases. It's odd, I know, but I just love all things peach. In an effort to use as many recipes at once as possible, I decided to make a crust recipe actually in the recipe book (as opposed to my great grandmother's crust recipe which I've faithfully used my entire life, not even looking at another crust recipe). While preparing said crust, I apologized to her out loud (this is made even more weird by the fact that she passed away quite a long time ago...which only makes me feel worse).

Now that I've betrayed my great-grandmother, I fear what will become of my future crusts. However, this crust was lacking somewhat when compared to my GG's crust. But how could it not? Her crust recipe always wields unbelievably soft, flaky crust. This crust was tender, but not nearly as flaky. However, GG's crust does not stand up well to being used as a lattice crust, and this one did. So although some flavor was lost, the look was achieved. This also saddens me. Now that I've successfully made this crust, and therefore can check it off the list, I can now alter it to make it taste better for the other lattice-topped pies.

Also, just a side note, the modern kitchen and the 1976 kitchen-- not stocked with the same appliances. Exhibit A: I do not have a pastry blender. Nor do I know what a pastry blender is. I do know that it was supposed to help me cut the shortening into the flour mixture. So I used a fork. And you know what? It worked just fine. Although I did have to use shortening, which I hate with a passion, because it's sticky and gooey and basically a mess waiting to happen. However, I will have to overcome this hatred, because about every other recipe in this book calls for shortening.

Because I had only two peaches, I decided to make two personal-sized peach pies. However, I do not have two pie-appropriate matching dishes...so I mismatched. Martha Stewart would be thoroughly disappointed. Yet my husband did not even comment, because he was too busy devouring the delicious pie. Haha--take that unpretty peach pie. Take that.

Since I halved the crust recipe, I should halve the pie filling recipe too, no? Well, that was my intent. Then I got unreasonably distracted by Toy Story showing on the Disney channel, and ended up creating the non-halved proportions for the filling. Twice as much as I needed. Possibly more, because the recipe calls for more than double the two peaches I had. I realized this right before putting my medium-cubed peaches into it. Did I dump half that sugar-flour-spice mixture into a plastic bag so I could have the proper proportions? Nope. I super-coated those peaches (which were supposed to be sliced, but eating pie with sliced peaches--not easy. Also, slicing not-ripe peaches-- not easier. ) I'm not sure if it was the unripe peach juice mingling with the excessive amount of sugar and spices, but those little pies were absolutely amazing. Probably the best thing I've ever baked in my entire life. The phrase scrum-didlie-umpcious comes to mind. I don't mean to brag on myself, but these were seriously amazing. Insanely sweet, but amazing. If only we'd had some vanilla ice cream a la carte, it may have lessened the intensity of the sweet. But alas, we did not. Yet those dishes were empty super fast.

Alas, I failed on the prettyness factor. My half of the crust recipe was not enough for two full mini latticed pies. So photos? I have them, but I'm too embarrassed to share.

The pie chapter is kind of my comfort zone. I feel safe there, despite the near chocolate-cream-pie disaster. However, the gloves must come off. I have to move outside my comfort zone (and save some comfort recipes for later when the scary recipes are sure to make me need comfort recipes) so I must move on. I'm thinking cupcakes. I can ease myself into the harder stuff, such as fudge and candies.

So there you have it. 4 recipes down, 284 to go. I'm either going to complete this endeavor by the end of summer, or if I need an escape plan, by the end of the year. Watch out cupcakes; I'm on my way.