When Penelope first came across a recipe instructing her to “blind bake” a pie crust, she couldn’t picture trying to get the pie crust in the oven while wearing the waffled cotton eye protector she brought home from her favorite day spa. It seemed unnecessarily dangerous. But no, “blind baking” actually meant baking the pie […]

Roberta Dinatalia from Evanston, Illinois says…“I can never get an accurate measurement, actually I mean a consistent measurement system going. Can it be that difficult to dole out the right amount of flour or cornstarch? I’m getting really depressed about being so untalented. If someone a hundred years ago could bake a great pie, and […]

victoria@goinglocal-info.com:
“I need some help with tips for using frozen summer fruits in pie fillings. Most of the recipes I see use fresh fruit but as a gardener with an orchard I have lots of frozen berries, peaches, rhubarb, and other fruits. My friends are split as to how to freeze the fruit for pies (sugar […]

To make the best pie crust, everything has to be cold: the ingredients, the bowl, the tools, even your hands, especially your hands.The idea is that keeping the dough cold prevents the fat from melting. So before you use the mixing bowl, put it in the freezer for half an hour; same thing with your […]

For this week ‘s nineteenth nervous breakdown, Penelope’s friend Katherine was making an apple Tarte Tatin when she phoned up in a state. “How do I flip this thing over without the juices going all over the kitchen? I tried to practice last night and I’m still wiping caramelized apple off the ceiling fan.”Even though […]

Raleigh Meyers from Austin, TX doesn’t have the greatest oven. “It must have all these hot and cold spots,” she tells Penelope, “because no matter how many times I turn the pie during baking, the crust always starts to burn. What can I do?”It’s arts and crafts time, Raleigh. We’re going to make […]

We have a Winner!
The 1st Annual Pumpkin Pie Playoffs turned out to be a real squeaker. But in the end, the winning entry proved that simplicity is genius.The winner of the 1st Annual Pumpkin Pie Playoffs is….Debbie Scully…for her Debbie Scully’s Super Simple Pumpkin Pie. Congratulations, Debbie. You’ll be receiving an In Pie We Trust […]