The whole thing about homemade pies is that they’re not perfect. The tops are supposed to be uneven. The fluting on the crust doesn’t have to have all the same angles. The steam vents are supposed to be different lengths.“That’s why,” Melissa Howell from Washington State, told Penelope, “I dislike the stamps for dough designs or perfect crust vents. Whenever I would bake with my (then) teenage daughter and she’d fuss with fancy vent designs, I would say, ‘They’re not socks. They don’t have to match.’ And usually she would just shrug and go with it.“Now, I don’t know if it was just adolescence, but one day she brought home one of those kitschy bluebird pie stamps. I was just about to give her my usual speech when she turned to me and practically shouted, “Mom, did it ever occur to you that some people might like a well-designed, perfectly matched, beautifully even pie crust! Maybe you’re too old or too, I don’t know, disappointed with life to even hope for it anymore, but is perfection too much to expect!”Apparently steam vents also come in different ages.

Ginger Apple-Cranberry Pie With Variable Steam Vents

Use Penelope’s Ultimate Pie Crust for a double crust pie. Or your own favorite.

Ingredients

• 5 large tart apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
• grated zest from 1 lemon
• 3 tbs all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 3 tbs unsalted butter, in bits

Optional Decoration

• 3 tbs heavy cream
• 2 tbs raw sugar

Chuck Williams recommends Pippin, Granny Smith or McIntosh applesMake the pie crusts. Set both aside.Preheat the oven to 425°Use a large bowl to combine the apples, cranberries, ginger and lemon zest. Then use a small bowl and toss together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and allspice. Add the contents of the small bowl to the fruit in the large bowl and toss well. Arrange the fruit in the pie shall, piling it high in the center. Or not, if you’re feeling a little off center. At least make it sort of even to give all the fruit a fighting chance at baking through. Dot with the butter bits. Then brush the pastry rim with water and lay the top crust over the fruit. Press down around the rim, then trim and flute or leave a plain edge.Now make 3 or 4, or 5 or 6 steam vents in the top. Whatever is the truest expression of youFor a little extra glitz, brush the top of the pie with the heavy cream and then sprinkle with the raw sugarBake for 15 minutes at 425°. Reduce the heat to 350° and continue baking until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender when pierced through one of the slits, probably another 50-55 minutes.Put on a wire rack to cool. Serve it warm or at room temperature.Makes one 9 inch, double crust pie.Adapted from Holiday Favorites, Williams-Sonoma, The Best of the Kitchen Library, Oxmoor House