The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-09-01
A PLEA FOR GOOD PIE
IT is A WHOLESOME FOOD IF 1T IS
PROPERLY MADE.

Making of q Perfect Pie.
Although food theorists and food
Cranks have varying opinions as to the
Wholesomeness Of certain foods, they
one and all agree in denOuncing pie
1t Is the one dish most ardcntly con.
demned, and yet the one dish most
universally liked-at least by Amer,
leans. Still, Notwithstanding the bad
reputation pie enjoys, it Is whole.
some dish il properly made.
In making it the average housewife
rolls out heavy, sodden crust, and
then spreads 1t in thick layer over
the bottom and sides Of pie plate.
She rorgetS to rub this crust with the
white Of egg and immediately puts In
the filling of custarl, fruit or mince
meat, whose juices will later soak into
the crust, making it still more sodden.
She then covers the pie, perhaps, with
another layer of this thick pastry and
puts it III an oven that Is not hot
enough. The oven should be 80 hot
that the pastry will brown before the
butter in it has barely chance to
melt. The crust will then Is crisp.
Another reason why pies are SO uni
versally disapproved is that they are
nearly always made with lard. or half
lard and half butter. Lard should
never be used In Il pie or. in fact, In
any dish. An eminent psychologist In
a leading university says that lard Is
the banc of American cookery and is fit
for no stomach except a pigs" A tiny
bit Of lard in a batch Of bread may be
excusable, but even then butter Is bet
ter.
All pie crust. Of course, should be. Of
wafer-like thinnfsS. Not only are prop
erly made crusts harmless, but some
popular filings are exceedingly whole
some. What, for instance. could be
better than a cust0rd or Il pumpkin
filling? The latter Is, az rule only
a custard rich in eggs with an addi-
ton of pumpkin and few Srlces,
which are aids to digestion.
Without doubt all pies should be
eaten in moderate portions. especially
by delicate persons, but this rule APP
plies to any dish. Even cream Is not
good for persons under certain condi-
tons, yet no one but a crank would
deny it to person In good health.
Many food faddsts expect healthy
people to live daily on m inyali1's diet.
There are five rules to observe in the
making Of perfect pie. First, rub
the undercrust with the white Of an
egg before putting in the filling to pre-
vent it from soaking into the pastry;
second, bake it in the hottest Of ovens;
third, place it in the lower half Of the
oven ut first against the bottom, later
removing it to the upper shelf: fourth,
always PLACE crust in the refrigerator
to become thoroughly chilled and hard
before filling and baking it; fifth.
pound the pastry well until it is filled
with air spaces.
Volumes could be written on the cor
rect treatment Of pastry. Any of the
recipes in standard cookbo0ks will do.
however, If a few details are carried
out.
4 marble board is an ideal arrange
ment for rolling pastry 4 current
household magazine suggests that the
hideous marble tops of old fashioned
tables might be fitted up for this pur-
pose.
Smooth, even pie crust is al ab0mina-
ton, and yet many housekeepers think
that is the proper way to have it, and
sometimes, they will even be heard to
complain When by accident their pie
crust is rough and almost breaking
into wafer-like flakes. This tlakiness
Is, however, the proper condition of
pastry.
Pies as q rule are better adapted to
4 winter than summer diet, because
of the butter, which makes them too
rich for warm weather fare. Fruit
pies, however, are good at all seasons,
and there are few things more attrac-
tive than huckleberry and other fruit
pies even IN the hottest dog days. There
are also many good cold meat pies
which are welcome ut picnics. When
chicken or meat pie it Is
always better to add a little baking
powder to the regular rule for ordinary
pie crust.
Add one cup Of butter to every two
cups of -four pastry four. Then chop
together In wooden bowl, with an
ordinary old fashioned chopping knife,
until the mixture is broken into small
bits the size Of peas. Add half a cup
of ice water Mix with knife, then
beat and turn and beat and turn until
the whole is smooth, but full Of light.
ness. This pounding and turning Is
better If done upon Il marble board iii
4 cool storeroOm or cellar. Never touch
the pastry with Il spoon or the hand,
but with q knife; then put it where it
will become Ice cold and hard before
rolling it out.
There are several variations to this