Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-10-12
A PLEA FOR GOOD PIE
1T is A WHOLESOME FOOD IF IT IS
PROPERLY MADE.

1T IS A WHOLESOME FOOD IF IT IS
PROPERLY MADE.
The Crust should he of Wafer-IilSe
Thinness and Crisp and FIaky.
Five Rules to he Observed In the
Making of a 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 0rdently con
demned, and yet the one dish most
universally liked-at least by Amer
icans. StIll Notwithstanding the bad
reputation pie enjoys. it Is a whole
some dish If properly made.
In making It the average housewife
rolls out a heavy, sodden crust, and
then spreads 1t in a thick layer over
the bottom and sides of a pte plate.
She forgets to rub this crust with the
white of egg and Immediately puts in
the filing Of custard, fruit or mlnce
meat, whose juices viii later soak into
She then covers the pie, perhaps, with
another layer of this thick pastry and
puts it in an oven that is not hot
enough. The oven should be so hot
that the pastry VIII brown before the
butter In 1t has barely a chance to
melt The crust will then be crisp.
Another reason why pies are SO uni
yersally disapproved is that they are
nearly always made with lard, or half
lard and half butter Lard should
never 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 Is fit
for no stomach except n pigs" A tiny
bit of lard In n batch Of bread may be
excusable, but even then butter Is bet
ter.
All pie crust, of course, should be OF
wafer-like thlnness. Not only areprop-
erly made crusts harmless, but some
popular filings are exceedingly whole
some What, for instance, could be
better than a custard or a pumpkin
filling? The latter Is, as a rule, only
a custard rich in eggs, with an addi-
ton of pumpkin and a few spices,
which are aids to digestion.
Without doubt all pies should be
eaten in moderate portions, especially
by delicate persons, but this rule APP
plies 10 any dish. Even cream is not
good for persons under certain condi-
tions, yet no one but a crank would
deny 1t to n person in good health.
Many food faddists expect healthy
people to live daily on an inva1lds diet.
There are five rules to observe in the
making Of a perfect pie First, rub
the undercrust with the white Of an
egg before putting in the filing to pre-
vent II from soaking into the pastry;
second. bake It In the hottest Of ovens;
third, place It In the lower half Of the
oven at first against the bottom, later
removing 1t to the upper shelf; fourth,
always place crust in the refrigerator
to become thoroughly chilled and hard
before filing and baking It; ffth.
pound the pastry well until 1t IS filed
with air spaces.
Volumes could be written on the cor
rect treatment Of pastry. Any of the
recipes in standard cookbooks viii do,
however, II n few details are carried
out
A marble board is an ideal arrange
ment for rolling pastry, \ 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 an abOmina-
ton, and yet many housekeepers think
that is the proper way to have 1t, 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 flakiness
Is, however, the proper condition Of
pastry.
Pies as q rule are better adapted to
q 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
aro also many good cold meat pies
which are welcome at picnics. When
preparing a chicken or meat pie 1t Is
always better to add little baking
powder to the regular rule for ordinary
pie crust
Add one cup OF butter to every two
cups of flour pastry four. Then chop
together in a 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 a knife, then
beat and turn ana beat and turn until
the whole IS smooth, but full Of light
ness. This pounding and turning Is
better If done upon marble board in
a cool stOrerOom or cellar Never touch
the pastry with Il spoon or the hand,
but with a knife; then put It 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 q teaspOonful
to this amount of -four and butter
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