[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: The Pie Lady Called

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
The Pie Lady Called
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1211076400.shtml


   I was seemingly exhausted last night for no real reason, and I finally
   just went to bed at an astounding 9 pm. I must have been, awakening
   just after 6 am. I felt great, the weather was great, so I walked 6
   miles to the SD 45 monthly gathering in New Hope to see Barb Davis
   White and other candidates. (And you, too, Lassie!)
   When I got home, my wife had a phone message for me. It was from a
   woman who had some old raisin pie recipes for me. Some months back,
   Cook's Illustrated had sent out an email asking if anyone had some
   lost recipe they were searching for. I replied, seeking raisin pie.
   Not that sour cream raisin crap, real two crust raisin pie. This is
   unknown in Minnesota in my travels to date, something I used to get
   regularly in my youth visiting the grandparents' farm in southern
   Iowa. I once found it in Phoenix, at the Iowa Cafe, maybe 20 years
   ago.
   Well, it seems my request got published in Cook's Country, a sister
   publication to Cook's Illustrated. I subscribe to the latter, and
   their web site, but not Cook's Country. FYI, these are the folks that
   produce "America's Test Kitchen" on public TV.
   So, this Cook's Country subscriber in Crystal sees my request, looks
   me up in the phone book, and called. We connected late this afternoon
   and I was impressed. This is a pie lady, a vanishing breed. She knew
   what I was talking about, said it was sometimes found in Minnesota
   southern border towns.
   She had three recipes from 1945-1950 era cookbooks, and I wrote down
   the second. I chatted further about general technique and I knew she
   was a winner when I asked: butter, shortening, or lard? Lard, she said
   firmly, and hard lard you render yourself if you have the time, not
   the soft stuff in the grocery store. She gave me a number of other
   tips, too. I think I have new plans for Memorial Day.
   Anyway, what a treat to find there are still pie ladies in the world.
   Only in America.