Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-04
ENGLISH PIES.


We have adopted the French fashion in
pie-making. We laugh at our English
| friends for calling certain corrections
| baked In deep dishes and with but one
crust pies" We should call them pud-
dings.
The English pie Is delicious, and forms
| an admirable dessert in summer, when Il
| Is made of fresh fruit or in winter when
| can OF California apricots cooked under
| light crust and served with Devonshire
cream or the nearest American substitute
which is whipped cream. IL certainly Is
much more satisfactory as a family des-
sert, especially in winter than our thin.
delicate American pie.
There Is knack in making English
pies. The dishes needed are those some
times used by us for vegetables They
should be at least three inches deep. oval
rather than round, and with the sides
not too straight. else the crust will he
apt TO slip TO the bottom of the dish
A large egg-cup or small narrow tea
cup, without handle, is TO be placed bot
tom upwards In the centre of the pie-
dish. This TO keep the crust covering the
pie so raised up that 1t Is not apt TO
soak.
Roll your crust about half as thick
again as you would for our American pies.
Cut narrow strip about an inch and a
half wide, and, having creased the rim OF
the dish, lay 1t carefully over the edge.
and far enough down that 1t will not slim
Then pour in your fruit. adding sugar 10
the taste, lifting the cup gently so that
the air might escape and some OF the
| Juice flow into II. The dish should not be
too full of Juice: there should be no fruit
within quarter OF an inch OF the top.
and the cup should stand that much
above IL.
The crust for covering should be Of the
same thickness as the strip already laid
on the edge. There should be vents cut in
the centre. but no hole for the cup-the
crust should rest upon that; this, Is
has been explained, being raised above the
| fruit. Cover exactly as you would an
placing II over the centre of the cup.
and then opening and drawing It evenly
and gently TO each side. Press down
firmly and ornament as you please 4
very effective ornamentation Is done By
cutting double points with the scissors
With apples IL is necessary to have the
| fruit cooked before covering IL with the
crust. With other kinds OF fresh fruit.
unless 1t be very hard. the fruit will
cook In the same time as the crust.
SERVING ENGLISH PIES.
English pies are invariably served on
plates belonging to the dinner set and OF
the same size as breakfast-plates. They
are eaten with fork and spoon; I doubt
whether any American without long prac-
| tice could manipulate the two at the
same time as the English do; but as En-
giIsh children are taught never to trans
| fer. the fork to the right hand during a
meal all are accustomed to the implement,
and use the spoon easily with the right
hand for the Juice. In cutting the pie,
after the first portion OF the crust IL re-
moved. the cup should be lifted 10 as "a
allow the juice to run into the dish.
No one can get Devonshire cream out.
side Of England. despite the numerous re-
cipes given for its manufacture The fact
that II brought up regularly to London
| (the little brown pitchers may be seer
In hundreds Of shops) has deferred me
from ever trying to make Il. for surely