Pater Familias … because I'm your FATHER!

Pumping Pumpkin

October 29, 2009 · Food | School

Got personal tricks for high-impact baking?

Recipe Hacks, Presentation For Primo Pie

Okay, listen up.

Tuesday we got the PTA Election Day Bake Sale at Big Brick Elementary School.

Pie from this kitchen going up against bundt cake, Nana’s rugula, Italian mamas’ cookies.

Show up with your A-baking, or take the stuff straight to the teacher’s lounge.

Ain’t nobody gonna buy so-so.

Pie Coach, who exists only in my head, only during October and November, is totally wrong here. People could care less what you bring to a bake sale. Nevertheless, I will try too hard.

And Big Brick will see my house-specialty signature cleverly decorated ultimo pumpkin pie.

That time of year again, Pie Time, and the need is upon me. One big multi-pie session a week. For every one we eat, I give away at least four, so I can pie again.

At first, neighbors and new friends can be sort of disturbed by pie for no reason. But then they want more.

Like they'll want your pie. 

Go:

Newbies need to know that pumpkin pie is stupid-easy. Pick up a can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin and premade pie crust (two to a box), and a couple throw-away 9-inch pie tins (apologies to Planet Earth).  Read the recipe on the can, acquire the listed ingredients, do what the can tells you to. Bingo, two perfectly presentable pies.

Do the above with the following alterations and rock your entire dessert world.

• Don’t add sugar.
• Sub in a can of sweetened condensed milk for one of the two cans of plain evaporated milk called-for.
• Punch up spicing by adding ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Now you got pie for adults – not too sweet, big flavor, nice toungue-bite.

Last season two people proclaimed this pie lifetime best-tasting.

And you can make them jump and holler even before they taste.

Do it with cutouts of autumn leaves, executed in crust, up on top.

Have extra crust on hand. Unroll a piece and make leaves. For speed and precision employ clever crust cutter-outers in Pater's Picks. Put the leaves on a cookie sheet and give them 10 minutes in the oven while the pies are in.

About a half-hour into pies’ allotted baking time, open the oven and place leaves on pie tops.

Yo, Pie Guy.   

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