National Pie Day: Eat a Piece of Pie

For the past three years, I have been obsessed with making and writing about pies. It all started when a friend sent me a book for my birthday called  The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, by Emily and Melissa Elsen. I have always loved pies, and decided that it might be a fun experiment to study the delicious looking recipes in the book, and try to make as many of them as I could. It has been a sweet adventure so far, as I eat my way through the pie world.

Making a pie crust is a satisfying task to me. For years, I would simply buy a pre-made crust when I made a pie. But the Elsen sisters insist in their book that one should at least try to make a basic butter crust, because, they argued, it would make a tasty pie even better. I remembered how much I enjoyed the pies of my Grandma Dukes, who made a delectable pie crust. She didn't use a recipe, as I recall. After I started to make my own, I realized how much better the homemade version tastes, and it is worth the extra trouble. And I actually enjoy working with the dough - it is therapeutic in a strange way.

I have been making my way through the pie book, but have not yet made all of them. The problem is that I want to repeat making the pies that are my favorites, so I am not always motivated to make a new one! And after all, there are only 7 days in a week, and I simply cannot make a pie every day. (although it is sometimes tempting).

 This is probably my all time favorite pie, The Salted Caramel Apple Pie from the Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie book. Just a perfect pie, and almost everyone's favorite.

Lavender Honey Custard Pie

Malted Chocolate Pecan Pie

Maple Orange Walnut Pie

Key Lime Gingersnap Crust Pie

All of these pies are from the Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, except for the Maple Orange Walnut and the Gingersnap Key Lime, that are both from A Year in Pies, by Ashley English.

For National Pie Day, I am making the Lemon Chess Pie pictured below. Happy Pie Day! Remember to eat a piece of pie, and enjoy every bite. Don't worry about the New Year's resolution you may have made about not eating sweets. It is just one day - and there is always tomorrow to exercise it off!