Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08
Apple Pie.
A. F. E.

Apple Pie.
How often people use language without the
slightest sense of its deep, interior meaning
Thus, no phrase is more carelessly, or frequent
ly used, than the saying, "AppSe-Pie order. +"
How few who say 20, reflect at the time upon
either apple.pie, or the true order of apple-pe !
Perhaps they have been reared without instruc-
ton. They may have been born in families
that were ignorant of apple-pie; or who were
left to the guilt of calling two tough pieces of
halfcooked dough with thin streak Of mascer-
ated dried apple between them, Of leather color,
and of taste and texture not unbccoming the
same,- an apple-pie! But from such pro-
found degradation of ideas we turn away with
gratitude and humility, that one SO unworthy
as we, should have been reared to better things
We are, also, affected with sense of regret
for duty unperformed! for great as hQyo been
the benefits received, we have never yet celebra-
ted as we ought the merits of appe-pie. That
reflection shall not longer cast its shadow upon
US.
" Henry-go down cellar, and bring me up
some spitzenbergs. THE cellar was large as
the whole house, and the house was broad as
small pyramid. The north side was window
less, and banked up outside with frost defying
tan bark. The.south side had windows, fes-
tooned and frescoed with spiders webs, that
wovc their tapestries over every corner in the
neighborhood, and when no flies were to be had i,
ate up each other, as if they were nothing but
politicians, instead of being lawful and honora-
BILE drdchnide On the east side stood a row of
cider barrels; for twelve or twenty barrels of
cider were fit provision for the year,--and
what was not consumed for drink was expected
duly to turn into vinegar, and was then exalted
to certain hogsheads kept for hepurpose But
along the middle of the cellar were the apple
bins, and when the season had been propitious,
there were stores and heaps of Russets, Green
ings, Seeknofurthers, Pearmains, GilliAowe1s,
Spltzenbergs, and many BESIDES nameless, but
July
brought up the apples. Some people think
anything will do for pies But the best for eat
ing are the best for cooking. Who would make
jelly of any other apple that had the Porter ?
who would bake or roast any other sweet apple
that had the Ladies S,Ceeting, unless, perhaps,
the Idlm0n Siueet? and who would put into a
pie any apple but Spiteenberg that had hot?-
oh with your jackets Fill the great wooden
bowl with the sound, rogues! And now, oh
cook what shall it be? For at this point the
ROADS dlVerge, and though they all come back
at length, to apple-pie, it is not matter of in
olnerence which you choose. There is, for ex-
ample one made without bottom-paste, in a
deep plate, and the apples laid in, in full quar-
ters' or the apples being stewed are beaten to
mush, and seasoned and put between the
double paste they are sliced thin and cooked
entirely within the covers or they are put
without seasoning into their bed, and when bak-
ed, the upper crust is raised, and the butter
nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar are added; the
whole well mixed, and the crust returned as il
nothing had happened
But oh be careful of the paste Let it moi
DC like putty, nor rush to the other extreme,
and make it so faky that one holds his breath
while eating for fear of blowing it all away
Let 1t not be plain as bread, nor yet rich like
cake Aim at that glorious medium in which
1T Is tender without being fugaciously faky
short without being too short a mild, sapid
brittle thing, that lies upon the tongue, so al
to let the apple strike through and touch tn,
pGp'H'9 with q mere etfluent flavor But this
IKE all high art, must be thing of inspiration
or instinct. A true. cook will understand me
and care not If others do not?
do not suppose that we limit the apple-p
to the kinds and methods enumerated. 1t
capacity in variation is endless, and every diver
slty discovers some new charm or flavor. l
will accept almost every flavor of spice. Ant
, yet, nothing is SO fatal to the rare and highe