New-York tribune., 1896-11-22
THE REIGN OF THE PIE.
THANKsGrvING DAY TIE FESTIVAL.
WHERE THE PLACE OF HONOR IS
GIVEN TO AMERICAN PASTRY.
nEcrpEs FOR PUFF PASTE. APPLE PIES. PUMPKr'
PIES AND MiNCr MrAT-ALI PuDDrNGs ARE
VANISHING on TIIIs DAY OF rEAsTrN0

RECIPES For PUFF PASTE. APPLE PIES PUMPKIN
PIES AND MINcr MrAT-ALI rrrDDrNGs ARE
VANISHING ON THIS DAY OF rEAsrrSo
II has been recently declared that tho character
is.ic dessert the fruit pic destined TO dis
appear from American tables. giving place TO for
eign Gates md less substantial dishes.
This would be n matter for genuine regret
properly made pie Is ono OF tho most excellent OF
all desserts II is something that was evolved from
tho peculiar conditions surrounding the domestic
larders Of pioneer times and recalls those days
when there was abundance Of tho fresh fruits OF
tho earth and lack of dried preparations and
spices from foreign lands. one prominent "ssayist
has commended this Characteristic dish. Whatever
improvements introduced IN American food and
whatever methods adopted from foreign lands.
tho greatest effort should be In the perfection OF
those dishes that are already firmly engrafted In
the domestic cuisine OF the country No land can
AFFORD TO give up It's characterize dishes
Tho pot-au-feu OF tho French peasant has been
n characteristic French dish for thousand
years Tho method OF preparing IT, with slight
changes has been handed down from mother to
daughter. II would he impossible to introduce this
excellent broth into such general uc In this coun
try II would mean the Overturnlng OF long estab-
lshed domestic customs and precedents. One might
as well expect the Wild poppies and corn flowers OK
France TO grow spontaneously In American wheat
fields. The American upine that bic soms on tho
borders of grain 1cds in June. is a loveler azure
than any flower. Tho brown pot roast. which
New England housekccpcrs prepare from tho same
pieces OF beef that the French peasant utIlizes in
making a pot-au-feu. is just as rich and economic
a dish Of meat a foreigner can make
The american pie made OF the sweetest and rch-
est favored fruit baked between layers Of the naki-
est pun-pastc. IL triumph OF culinary skill. Ii 10
the OF this dish which is celebrated on tho
Thanksgiving table. Shrove Tuesday Is the day
when every In England. from the dignihed dean
Of oxford to tho smallest scapegrace In the village
schools Is expected TO ent Pancakes. Christmas Is
the festival OF plum pudding. Thanksgiving is the
festival when the place OF pre-eminent honor Is
on the properly appointed Thanksgiving table
a gigantic chicken pie decorated with wreaths and
flowers OF pastry. crowns the feast and divides the
honor OF pieco do resistance with tho turkey. Tho
day fruit pies OF many kinds. with pies OF pump
kin, squash and mince Let no pudding be served
on this day At least three varieties Of pies should
appear on the Thanksgiving table; old fashioned
pumpkin pies apele, and mInce ., TO these might b.
Tho cocoanut was brought to this country early
In Colonial times through trade with the West
Indies and the cocoanut pie early received place
Of honor among the desserts OF LhanksSiving bay
pudding on the Thanksgiving menu. While this s
ypia as puddnE % o rho
abundance Of sweet pies on the board makes any
sanS ssr os to The wanton
which sometimes characterized tho old festival.
THANKSGIVING PASTE.
There are thousands Of Kitchens In the country
where the preparation OF Thanksgiving paste Is now
the chief question. There Is no art OF the cook
that requires such deftness Of touch pun paste.
7, should Justify It's and be mass Of delicate
,avers separated by air spaces The poor dying
Indian asked the French missionary who told him
~ tho delights OF Paradise II there would be any
French pastry there. thereby showing his appre-
c,a,ion of the Paiisian dessert American house,
vive, of olden times quite as adept French
chefs in the preparation of pun paste. The pastry
~ to-day is apt be Inferior because inferior fats
are substituted for butter Nothing but the sweet
ast butter free from SALT Will make good paste. II
,s hardly necessary to repeat tho familiar rule,
which calls for cup OF butter. two cups OF pastry
-four half a teaspoonful Of salt and the same
amount of sugar mixed together with half a cup
of ice water This rule gives idea Of the secret
in which the ingredients are mixed together. No
one can make pun paste successfully In a heated
kitchen marble slab IS not necessary. but de-
sirable and a porcelain rolling pin OF tho pictur-
ssnue bluo and white ware, used so much In Ger
man kitchens. Is excellent though hardly essential.
Mix half the butter with the -four, salt and sugar,
using knife, rather than your hands. Make II
into paste with the water, still using the knife.
Roll out the paste on a board slightly dredged with
Hour Remember that every ingredient must be as
cold as you can have II, and that the work be
done In a room where the temperature is not above
so degrees. Your movements with the rolllng-pin
must be rapid, yet light Work the other half OF the