The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1905-08-25
"a PLEA FOR GOODBYE
AZ ts = WHOLESOME FOOD iF IT IS
PROPERLY MADE.


Aialeins Of Perfect Pie.
Although food theorists and food
franks have varying opinions as 10 tho
wholesomeness Of certain foods, they
ono and all agree In denounclng pie.
II Is the one dish most ardently con-
demned, and yet the one dish most
universally iiked-at least by Amer
leans. shll, notwithstanding the bad
reputation pie enjoys, II Is a whole.
some dish II properly made.
In making II tho average housewife
rolls out heavy, sodden crust, and
then spreads Il In a thick layer over
the bottom and sides OF a pie plate.
She torgots to rub this crust with the
white OF egg and Immediately puts In
the filling OF custard, 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 II In an oven that Is not hot
enough. The oven should be so hot
that the pastry will brown before the
butter In It has barely a chance to
melt. The crust will then be 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
Z mover be used in a pie or, In fact In
any dish. An eminent psychologist In
a leading university says that lard is
the bane Of American cookery and IL At
for no stomach except a pigs" A tiny
bit OF lard In batch of bread may be
fxcusable. but even then butter Is bet
ter.
All pie crust, OF course, should be Of
wafer-llke thlnness. Not only are prop
erly made crusts harmless, but some
popular filings are exceedingly whole
some. What fer Instance, could be
better than a custard or a pumpkin
fHlng7 The latter Is, as. rule. only
a custard rich in eggs, with an add
zion OF pumpkin and a few spices,
which aro 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-
lions, yet no one but a crank would
deny 1t to a person In good health.
Many food faddists expect healthy
people to live daily on an lnvalld's diet.
There are Ave rules to observe In the
making OF q perfect pie. First, rub
the undercrust with the white of an
egg before putting in the filing to pre-
vent It from soaking into the pastry;
second, bake It in the hottest Of ovens;
third. place 1t In the lower half of tho
oven at frs lgalnst the bottom, later
removing It to the upper shelf; fourth,
always place crust In the refrigerator
to become thoroughly chilled and hard
before filing aAd baking II; ffth.
pound the pastry well until Il Is Allied
with air spaces.
Volumes could be written on the cor
rect treatment OF pastry. Any Of the
recipes In standard ceotbooks will do,
however, II few details are carried
out
A marble board is an ideal orange
ment for rolling pastry. A current
household magazine suggests that the
hldeous marble tops Of old fashioned
tables might be fitted up for this pur-
pose.
Smooth. even pie crust Is an abomIna-
ton, aud yet many housekeepers think
that is the proper way to haye IT, and
sometimes they will even be heard to
complain when by accident their pie
crust Is rough and almost breaking
into wafer-like fakes. This fiaklness
is, however. the proper condition of
pastry.
Pies as a rule are better adapted to
a winter than a 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 |
arc also many good cold meat pies
which are welcome at rlcnics. When |
preparing a chicken OF 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 a wooden bowl, with an
ordinary old fashioned chopplng knife.
until the mixture is broken into small
bits the size OF peas. Add half @. cup
OF Ice water Mix with knife, then
beat and turn and beat and turn until
the whole "a smooth. but full of light
ness. This pounding and turning Is
better II done upon marble board in
a cool storeroom or cellar. Never touch
the pastry with a spoon or the hand.
but with knife; then put 1t where 1t
will become ice cold and hard before
rolling It out.
There are several variations to this
rule which can do no harm. If baking
powder Is wanted, add a teaspoonful
to this amount OF -four and butter
New York Tribune.