Norwich bulletin., 1921-07-15

must be built, if at all. Therefore, the pastry must be without Heck Of flaw or hint Of failure. There used to be pie shop in New Haven, forty years ago, where l have seen as many as twenty men and 6oys at a time all devouring what was called pie. For my sins I was sometimes compelled to lunch at that counter. Never dIi l eat the bcttena crust Never cd see any one else eat it. The superior portion of the quadrant was scoored off with a fork. The under-crust remained. It was un- cuttable with anything short of a hatch ct unchewable in any jaws other than bulldogs; napifestly as indigestiole as deormats or old hats. It was the be- lief of some of us that the thrifty pro- prietor used it over and over again in repeated construction of new pies and through passing generations of custom CTS.
 The undercrust of the real New Eng l land pie is the very opposite of this. While firm enough to perform it's func- tion of retaining the fruity juices above i it, it is at the same time as "short" and 1 boy. The pfe-eater would as soon think , of leaving 1t as the burglar would think of leaving the gold he came upon unex- l pectedly while runanaging a bank g l vaults for negotiable bonds.
 The upper crust Is of even greater | importance It should be haky, but without the sharp cutting edges which { too much butter sometimes gives to the flakes. They must meet the teeth with ! a yielding welcome, and melt in nastl- cation as smoothly as chocolate candies Moreover, the top crust should be~ of that enchantingly golden brown which gives instant. assurance to the eye of l perfect baking. thorough, but without a 1 trace of scorch or burn. It may be seal l loped or it may be flagreed, or it may 1 be severely plain. These are outside matters and of small bearing on the vir. tue of the contents
 If any one thinks that the mere mixing of flour and water and shortening will make such crusts, that misguided person 1 has another think coming. There is as
 much skill and true artistry in making the perfect pie as in building the perfect | temple or painting the perfect picture. Il requires not only flour and water and | lard. etc. but also brains and skill and
 heart. It can't be taught in schools nol
 insured by the most perniekety follow ing of proven recipes. It is a gift. and the woman who worthf1y exercises it has a right to the eutSpoken gratitude oi
 contemporaries and the graven rernem
 brance of posterity.
 Then the filling. This is d subjec. which must be approached with rnodesty
 not to say humility, by mere pie-eatina
 mascuiines. Only in general terms art 1 such permitted to discuss it.
 In the first place, the tin must be g l deep one, deep enough to contain. be side the two crugts a generous deptf
 of delectable content. For the so-callet
 ''pie-tins" of the tin-shops. and ten cen i stores there can be no words except O execration They are frauds, pure ana
 simple. They may do to cool fudge on
 but as pie-containers they are delusienl
 and mockeries. They hold a word 6 promise to the eye but break it to tn, 1 pie-fork. The real. old-fashioned. farm 1 house pie-tin is big enough and deel ] enough to impress one at first glance with it's dignity and amplitude, and tt l prove itself upon test, even more satis 1 flying than 1t looks. It's performance
 is even greater than it's promise.
 As to the composition of that AIlinl
 about which we are talking, I lay tn,
 finger of discretion upon the lips of mod l esty and refrain from speech. Just wha fruits shall form it's, basis, just wha
 additions of savoFN havoring shall bt stirred in, just what magic sprinklings Q
 spice shall be tossed over it-these b, | indeed mysteries before which the mall mind haIts, obfuscated and habbergast st l ed.
 But this admitted ignorance of meth ods need make no difference in our de
 vout thankfulness for results. As said