The Pie Project

This pie is seriously wonderful. I didn't know what to expect - I'm somewhat of an apple traditionalist, but as I've said, I'm always up for an experiment. And was this ever successful. The tangy cranberry layer takes the comforting, reliable apple to a whole new level. It's not tooth-achingly sweet, either, so you really taste the fruit. A regular autumn bounty. The original recipe is from Cook's Illustrated; I got it here. Only difference? I didn't make the famed vodka crust, which I do want to try someday, but for which I wasn't willing to drop some cash on a bottle of Stoli. I'm not much of a vodka drinker, anyway. One too many college party memories. Remember those syrupy, too-strong-for-a-human mixtures in plastic red cups? Oh, shudder. Mine were served up at the weird elite engineering/math college across the street from my lovely elite women's college. Okay, fine, I also had my fair share of drinks in Scripps' graceful (but not as pri...

Oh my god! How did I not know about this? Pushing Daisies, which has been recommended to me but which I haven't managed to watch (my TV watching has waned...my brain only has room for crime procedurals or Tina Fey, it seems) features PIE. The show is about - wait for it - a pie baker/shop owner who can bring people back from the dead. And some other quirky things. Point is, what, a show about pie? And I only find out about it as it's getting canceled? Damn. Oh well. At least I can try one of its recipes. The pie-making, dead-raising protagonist brings back his childhood crush, who proceeds to bake a delicious sounding Pear-Gruyere pie, featured here . Yum. I'm going to try it. Apparently, on the show, she makes it for her anxious aunts and includes crushed up anti-depressants, in hopes said aunts will medicate unknowingly. I gotta say, with my fair share of nutty relatives, I can understand the impulse. This got me thinking about all the pie featured in TV and film. I could...

This *is* a pie blog, so I'd better get cracking on the pie posts. Good thing I have a few up my sleeve before the Thanksgiving bonanza begins - because my days are swamped in papers, books, and applications, so the oven isn't firing up (though it's finally getting cold in Houston!) First in line is the last of the summery pies: the neglected, hearty nectarine. I've had plenty of peach pie in my life but never nectarine, and given these were on sale, I'd thought I'd try it. I don't know the technical difference between the two fruits, but as far as I'm concerned, it comes down to the skin alone. Peach=fuzzy, nectarine=smooth. For some reason nectarines run a little harder than your average peach, but they're golden and juicy and sweet, and they deliver in pie-form. I left the skins on, for a little extra fiber and, uh, vi tamins? It was popular with my fiction writing crowd, but my pies always are! I'm starting to think they're not very discr...

If only figuring out my post graduation life were as simple as pie. I'm mildly obsessed with this right now. I'm applying for a slew of fellowships, which are like post-docs for those of us with MFA's. I'm sending stuff to all the biggies, including the famous Stegner, and all I can do is hope and wait. Meanwhile I need to focus on my novel - I blocked out the whole day for it but haven't worked on it much, somehow, though I did write my personal statement for the Stegner. The fellowships are Option #1 (red slice) followed by Option #2 (orange slice), which is a job-that-is-not-teaching, i.e., that will give me time to write. Museums? Grant writing? Policy? Option #3 (blue) is teaching at a community college, ideally full time (bone-crushing, much as I love teaching). Option #4 (green) is teaching at some kind of private high school, maybe. Option #5 (yellow) is applying for PhD programs, but that's another story. In the case of 2, 3, or 4, we'll probably ju...

There are no words, really. I can't stop being happy about this. I cried for an hour when he won. Finally! I've never felt proud of our leadership before - it's a strange, new, wonderful feeling. Also, this brings up the best kind of pie metaphor: sharing the pie. We could use more of that. I'm so glad our new President gets it, and that my fellow citizens actually believe it, too. In celebration, I want to bake! Well, this weekend, when I have time and am hosting the "slush" reading (of unsolicited manuscripts sent to our journal) at my house. Obama likes pecan, and sweet potato, and coconut cream. Witness this video... Hmmm...plotting.