The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-08-23
A PLEA FOR GOOD PIE
1T is A WHOLESOME FOOD IF 1T is
PROPERLY MADE.

The Crust should he of Wnfcr-like
ThinncAs and Crisp and FInky.
Five Rules to He Observed In the
Making of IL Perfect PIE.
Although food theorists and food
eranks have varying opinions MS TO the
whelesomeness of certain foods, they
one and all agree In denouncing pie.
1t is the one dish most ardently con
demned. and yet the one dish most
universally liked-at least by Amer
leans. Still, Notwithstanding the bad
reputation pie enjoys, 1t Is whole
Some dish If properly made
In making 1t the average housewife
rolls out Il heavy, sodden crust, and
then spreads 1t In n thick layer over
the bottom and sides of Il pie plate.
She forgets TO rub this crust with the
white of egg and Immediately puts In
the filling of custurd, fruit or mince
meat, whose juices will later soak into
the crust. making 1t stlll 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 1t has barely 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
never be used In pie or, In fact, In
any dish. An eminent Psychologist In
leading university says that lard Is
the bane of American cookery and Is fit
for no stomach except pigs" A tiny
bit of lard In batch of bread may be
excusablc, but even then butter Is bet
ter.
All pie crust of course. should be of
wafer like thinness Not only are prop
erly made crusts harmless. but some
popular filings are exceedingly whole
some. What, for Instance, could be
better than eustard or pumpkin
filling? The Inter is, as rule, only
custard rich In eggs. with an add
ton of pumpkin and n 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 To any dish. Even cream is not
good for persons under certain condi-
tions, yet no one but crank would
deny II to II person In good health.
Many food faddists expect healthy
people to live daily on mn lnyalids diet.
There are five rules to observe In the
making of IL perfect pie. First. rub
the undcrcrust with the white of mn
egg before putting in the filling TO pre-
vent Il from soaking into the pastry;
second, bake ii In the hottest of ovens:
third, place 1t In the lower half of the
oven mt 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 filling and baking 1t; fifth.
pound the pastry well until II Is filled
with air spaces.
Volumes could be written on the cor
rect treatment of pastry. Any of the
recipes In standard cooltboolts will do,
however, II II few dctnlls 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-lilse flakes. This fiakincss
IL. however. the proper condition of
pastry,
Pies as rule are better adapted to
II winter than II summer diet, because
of the butter, which makes them too
rich for warm weather fure. 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 MT picncs. When
preparing Il chicken or meat pie It ~
always better to add little baking
powder 10 the regular rule for ordinary
pie crust.
Add one cup Of butter to every two
cups of -four Uastry -FOUR. Then chop
together In II wooden bowl. with an
ordinary old fashioned chopplng knife.
until the mixture Is broken Into small
bits the size of peas. Add half n cup
of Ice water Mix with IA knife then
beat and turn and beat and turn until
the whole ia smooth but full of light
ness. This pounding and turning IL
better If done upon marble board In
Il cool storeroom or cellar Never touch
the pastry with II spoon or the hand,
but with knife; then put 1t where 1t
viii become Ice cold and hard before
rolling 1t out
There are several variations to this
rule which can do no harm If baking
powder Is wanted, add Il teaspoonful
to this amount OF -four and butter
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