Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-01-25
FOR THE IDEAL PIE
TooTHsoME DELIcAcY THAT Is
BELOVED BY ALL.
Requisites for Success Are Simple,
But They Must Be Carefully Re.
membered - knack of the
Thinq Is What Counts.

The pie belt is not restricted to
New England alone. Ask the miner
"baching it," in his lonely camp in the
Rockies or Sierras, the soldier and
sailor boys in distant posts or alien
waters, the storm-stayed traveller, 20
miles from lemon or anything else
eatable, what they want most for their
dinner, and ten chances to one "a big
piece of mothers homemade pie"
heads the list of mountaineering pos
sibilities.
But there are pies and pies, ranging
from gutta percha crusts with vapid,
tasteless interiors, to a delicate, fiaky,
melt-in-your-mouth pie exterior clasp
Ing in tender embrace ambrosia.
Which are yours?
Pie makers are born, but they can
also be made.
The first requisite is brains, then a
light, quick touch and judgment in
idel pie no great array of implements
is required. Glass and marble boards
are all right, but just as excellent re-
suits may be achieved with fine
hardwood molding board, thick can
vas dredged with flour or even Clean
smooth sheet of manila paper spread
smoothly on an ordinary kitchen Ia
BILE. So also with the rolling pin. 1t
is the touch and knack of handling
that count-whether the pin be OF
glass, hardwood or tall, smooth bot
tie.
For the shortening half butter from
which the buttermilk has been well
worked out, and lard that has been
melted and tried out in the old-fash.
Toned way, instead of being pressed,
Is considered best, though clarified
drippings of beef, chicken, or pork
can all be utilized.
In making the plain, everyday crust,
allow for each pie one cup sifted flour
(heaped), scant half-cup shortening.
saltspoonful each salt and baking
powder and cold water to mix stiff.
Measure lard and butter and set in a
cold place until hard. Mix flour, salt
and baking powder, then cut in the
| lard. Wet with cold water to stiff
| dough, toss on the Toured board and
pat down to about half an inch in
thickness.
Roll out, put the butter on the paste
in little dabs here and there; dredge
| lightly with flour; roll over and over;
turn half round; pat out and roll
| again Then roll over and over like
| a jelly roll and divide in the middle.
Turn each piece over on end, so that
| the rings of pastry are on top, and If
there is time set in the ice chest I'M
| til hard and chilled. Roll to fit the
plate with an inch to spare, as paste
shrinks when taken from the board.
Fold the crust over, lift up quickly
and lay in the tin. Press down in the
center SO there need be no air bub-
bles, and let the edge of the crust
come just to the edge of the plate.
| Brush the rim with cold water, and
| If the pie is fruit or very juicy com.
pound, the white of an egg brushed
over the under crust will prevent
soaking. Roll out some of the paste
into strip a good half inch in width
and place on the edge. Add the fill
Ing and wet the rim again before put.
ting on the upper crust, which should
be a little larger than the plate, and
have cut in the center to allow for
| the escape of steam. Press closely
but lightly together and push the two
crusts away from the edge of the
| plate, which gives them chance to
expand