This recipe is for savory pastry shells designed to be prebaked, then filled with eggs for quiche, custard, or pumpkin, and finished cooking as the specific recipe instructs. Whenever you see “use your favorite pie crust recipe,” turn to this recipe. Bake the pastry flat (rather than in a pie dish), with the edges folded up slightly, and use it for the base of a rustic tart. Makes 3 9-inch pie shells
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, sifted
¾ cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped
¼ cup cold milk
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, mix the salt and flour; using a pastry blender, cut in the lard to make a coarse, crumbly mixture. Blend in the milk gradually, gently tossing with a fork, until the dough sticks together in a ball.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal parts. Place in pie pans or flat on baking sheets; using a fork, prick the unbaked shells thoroughly before baking.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Set on a wire rack to cool before filling. Finish baking as directed by your recipe.
If your holidays are spent rushing from one task to the next, and the little things—such as homemade pie crusts—often get set aside due to lack of time, this year spend a day in early November making this recipe. You’ll end up with not just the shells you need for the holidays but for the whole new year! Makes 21 single 9-inch pie shells
1 (5-pound) bag all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons salt
3 pounds lard, cold and coarsely chopped
1 cup light corn syrup
3 cups cold water
In a very large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the corn syrup and water and mix until the dough sticks together. Divide the dough into fist-sized balls and place in individual quart-sized freezer bags. Place the individual bags in a large, resealable freezer bag (2-gallon size) and put in the freezer.
To use: Remove 1 ball of dough for each crust needed. Let thaw for about 1 hour at room temperature, or defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Roll out the crust as needed. The dough will be soft, and you can refreeze any unused dough.
Here’s a basic recipe for pie dough, plus a crash course in Making Pie Crust 101. Try your hand at making a charming lattice-topped pie, but get your camera ready. The finished pie will be so beautiful you’ll want to snap a photo for your scrapbook. Makes 4 single or 2 9-inch double crusts
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups lard, cold and coarsely chopped
1 egg
5½ tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vinegar
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until the mixture is very fine. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, water, and vinegar. Make a small well in the flour mixture and add the liquid; mix just until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and flatten into disks; wrap individually in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
To make a double-crust pie with a solid top crust, roll out 2 disks of dough about 1 inch larger than the pie plate. Fit one crust into the bottom of the pie plate. Fill the pie with the desired filling; slightly moisten the edge of the bottom crust. Take the second crust, fold it in half, gently place it over the pie filling, and unfold, centering it on the pie plate; press the edges into the bottom crust to seal. Trim the excess dough to leave an overhang of about ¾ inch. Crimp or flute the edges with your fingers. To allow steam to escape, gently prick the top crust with a fork several times or slash vents with a sharp knife.
For a lattice-top crust, roll the second crust to a diameter of about 13 inches (for a 9-inch pie) and cut the dough into eighteen ½-inch-wide strips. Fill the pie and slightly moisten the edge of the bottom crust. Place 9 strips evenly across the filling, leaving space between and allowing the excess to hang over the edge of the bottom crust. Trim the excess dough and press the ends of the strips into the edge of the bottom crust to seal. Place the other 9 strips across the first set in a crisscross pattern; trim and press the second set of strips to seal. Fold up the bottom crust to cover the ends of the lattice strips, then crimp or flute with your fingers.
To make a glazed top crust, beat 1 egg white and brush on the unbaked top crust; sprinkle with sugar.
For a brown crust, brush the unbaked top crust with milk or cream, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the pies according to the recipe.
BUTCHERING HOGS AND MAKING LARD When I was a child, we butchered hogs every winter. The men did it outside on a cold day. Neighbors sometimes got together to do the scalding, scraping, and all the duties of butchering. The entrails were dumped into an old tub to haul off later. We youngsters were ghoulishly entertained by seeing what came out of the insides of a hog.
One of my highlighted memories of childhood was the day we worked up the meat. Our entire family of five gathered in the kitchen. We cut the fat in small pieces to put in a big pan on the wood cookstove to render the lard. It was cooked slowly and stirred often to keep it from scorching, then it was strained through a clean white cloth and baking soda was added to keep it nice and white. My brother would turn the handle on the meat grinder to make sausage. Daddy trimmed the hams and shoulders for curing and prepared the other cuts of pork. For supper, we always had tenderloin, brown gravy, and hot biscuits made with lard.
Every Sunday morning, we made pies for Sunday dinner. We used lard to make the rich, flaky crust. In the cast-iron skillet, we fried chicken in pure lard. What fresh, delicious Sunday dinners we had!
I used to take pies to the bank where I worked, and several people complimented me on my crust. When I told those city boys the crusts were made with pig lard, they just rolled their eyes—and kept right on eating.
I am a grandmother now and still use lard to make pie crusts. I don’t usually measure when I make them, but I will attempt to send my recipe. And one doesn’t need a recipe for frying chicken in lard—just fry it.
Joyce Surface, West Plains, Missouri
JOYCE’S PIE CRUST Makes 1 9-inch crust
1¼ cups all-purpose white flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup lard
3 tablespoons cold water
Mix together the flour and salt. Cut in the lard until small crumbles form. Add the cold water and mix until all the crumbs are stuck together. Flour the working surface and roll out the crusts to fit in a pie plate for a single crust, then follow the directions for whatever pie you want to make.
Double the recipe for fruit pies and bake according to your fruit pie recipe.
Refugees in camps all over the world receive meager rations consisting of wheat or oats, sugar or molasses, salt, and oil or lard with which to prepare their meals. Take note of the small proportions and unusual substitutions for the usual pie crust ingredients. This recipe makes a small crust—the total volume is just over 1 cup—so it’s best rolled thinly and pressed into a small pan. Surely, it would make an impromptu dessert for one. Makes 1 6-inch crust
¼ cup lard, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon molasses or dark corn syrup
¼ cup quick-cooking rolled oats
Fresh fruit and whipped cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a small pie pan with lard and set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the lard and sugar with a spoon. Add the flour, salt, and molasses. Stir in the oats and mix well. Pack into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven. Fill with fresh fruit and top with whipped cream.
This ridiculously simple cherry pie is just the recipe you’ll be seeking come the dog days of summer when the heat is sapping your motivation to cook. You’ll have a cherry pie in under an hour, including making the crust and baking. Use the single pie crust recipe given, or pull one of the frozen pie crust balls (see here) out of the freezer. Serves 8
CRUST
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
½ cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped
¼ cup ice water
FILLING
1 cup fresh or canned cherries, pitted
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the flour in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until a ball forms. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 2 inches larger than your pie pan. Line the pie plate with the pastry and fold under the excess dough. Crimp or flute the edge with your fingers.
In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, eggs, and milk and mix well. Pour into the pastry crust.
Bake for 45 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.
Bumbleberry pie is just like it sounds—a jumble of fruit, usually mixed berries, baked into a pie. Also known as “kitchen sink pie,” the bumbleberry pie’s origins lie in the pioneer cooks of America and their propensity for using whatever was at hand rather than following a set recipe—to prepare meals for big, hungry families. This recipe is for two double-crusted pies; feel free to use any fruit you’ve got in the same proportions. Makes 2 9-inch pies
5½ cups plus ⅔ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups lard, cold and coarsely chopped
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vinegar
¾ cup ice water
2 cups fresh or frozen chopped rhubarb
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
4 cups chopped peeled baking apples
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, for serving
In a very large bowl, combine 5½ cups of flour with the salt; using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until crumbly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole egg, the vinegar, and half of the ice water; sprinkle over the dry ingredients and toss with a fork. If needed, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough can be formed into a ball (discard the remaining ice water). Divide the dough into 4 balls and press into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface; roll out 2 disks to fit two 9-inch pie pans. Press one crust into each pan, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, berries, apples, sugar, the remaining ⅔ cup of flour, and the lemon juice; mix well. Distribute the filling evenly between the 2 pies.
Roll out the remaining 2 dough disks for the top crusts; moisten the overhanging bottom crust with water. Place the top crust over the pie and trim the edges. Seal and flute the edges.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining egg yolk with a little water (1 to 2 tablespoons) and beat well; brush over the top crusts. Using a sharp knife, cut vents in the top crust.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
LARD SAVED LITTLE BROTHER When reading about lard, I was reminded of a time when two of my brothers put another brother into a milk can and rolled him down a hill. When they tried to retrieve him, they found he was stuck. They could not get him out of the can.
Mom solved the problem by having him lower himself further into the can, then she proceeded to grease the inside with lard. After thoroughly greasing the can, she was able to extract my brother.
Mom always said she couldn’t make good pie crust without lard, so she made sure she always had some on hand until her death in 2009. Thank you for bringing this pleasant memory back to me.
Billie Bonecutter, Jefferson City, Missouri
If you loved Hostess Fruit Pies or those fast-food hot apple turnovers when you were young, this more sophisticated version will take you way back, and you’ll be surprised at how much better they taste. Use your favorite dried fruit—apricots, apples, cherries, blueberries, peaches—or even lemon curd for the filling. Makes 8
FILLING
12 ounces dried fruit of your choice, cut into small pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
CRUST
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped, plus more for frying
½ cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
In a medium saucepan, place the fruit and enough water to cover it. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain. Transfer the fruit to a bowl and stir in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate large bowl, mix together the milk and egg. Stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture until all the flour is moistened and the dough sticks together.
Gather the dough into a ball and cut in half. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough half on a lightly floured board to a ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 6-inch bowl as a guide, cut each half into four 6-inch rounds. Place ¼ cup of the fruit mixture in the center of each pastry round. Moisten the edge of the pastry and fold over; press the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
In a deep cast-iron skillet, heat the lard to 375°F and 3 inches deep. In batches, place the pies in the hot fat and fry for 1½ to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.
In October 1964, Janis Risley of Melbourne, Florida, won the Pillsbury Bake-Off with this combination. Her original recipe calls for a box of refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust, of course, but ours suggests a homemade crust, made with lard. The award-winning peach pie is flavored with pumpkin pie spices, and has a cheesecake layer sandwiched between the filling and top crust. It would be hard to beat this peach pie—as a matter of fact, nothing did! Serves 8
CRUST
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
⅔ cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped
6 to 7 tablespoons peach syrup
FILLING
1 (28-ounce) can sliced cling peaches, drained, syrup reserved
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons salted butter
CHEESECAKE LAYER
2 eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons peach syrup
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the peach syrup over the mixture while stirring with a fork until the dough sticks together in a ball. Divide the dough in half.
On a floured surface, roll out half the dough to a circle 1½ inches larger than an inverted 9-inch pie pan. Fit the crust into the pan; flute the edge using your fingers. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
To prepare the filling, combine the peach slices, sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla in a large bowl; set aside.
To prepare the cheesecake layer, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and peach syrup. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Pour in the hot peach syrup mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Fill the prepared pie crust with the uncooked peach filling. Dot with the butter. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the top.
On a floured surface, roll out the remaining dough. Using a 2½-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut into circles; brush the circles with the remaining peach syrup. Arrange the dough circles on top of the pie.
Bake for 10 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, cover the edge with foil or an aluminum pie ring, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.
This apple pie is so much more—with a creamy, spicy filling infused with cinnamon, maple syrup, and cardamom. Every person in the house will be drawn to the kitchen as the aroma wafts through the air. For the truest maple flavor, use only pure maple syrup. Serve with cinnamon ice cream, hard sauce (see here), or heavy cream. Serves 8
2⅔ cups plus ¼ cup all-purpose unbleached flour, plus more for dusting
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped
7 to 8 tablespoons cold water
9 cups apples (about 2½ pounds), peeled, cored, and quartered
½ cup raisins
¾ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon milk
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, combine 2⅔ cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the lard until the mixture forms pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss lightly with a fork until the dough sticks together in a ball. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Press to form two 5- to 6-inch disks. Dust each disk lightly with flour on both sides.
On a dampened countertop, place one disk on a sheet of wax paper; cover with another sheet. Roll the dough to a ⅛-inch thickness. Peel off the top sheet of wax paper. Invert a 10-inch pie plate on the crust and trim to 1 inch larger than the dish. Turn the pastry into the pie plate and remove the other sheet of wax paper. Using a knife, trim the edge even with the pie plate. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water.
To make the filling, toss the apples and raisins with the maple syrup, the remaining ¼ cup flour, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, the cream, cinnamon, and cardamom. Mound the filling in the pie shell.
Roll the top crust in the same manner as the bottom. Flip the dough onto the filled pie and trim ½ inch beyond the edge of the pie plate. Fold the top edge under the bottom crust. Press together and flute using your fingers. Brush the crust with the milk. Using a sharp knife, cut vents in the top crust.
Bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cover the pie loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Do not overbake. Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.
GREAT CHRISTMAS PIES I was born in 1945, and I still remember my mother cooking with lard. I also remember my father going out to a farm on Christmas to get real whipping cream.
My grandchildren raised “grease pigs” this summer. When we had them butchered, we asked for the lard. I made pies for Christmas and was very pleased with the way the pie dough handled.
Nadine Taylor, Northwood, Ohio
A favorite of cowboys on cattle drives, this classic cherry pie was often cooked in a cast-iron skillet over a campfire. The “cookie” (chuck wagon cook) substituted honey for sugar when the chuck box ran out, and the recipe has remained that way since. Gather ’round the ’hands and serve this pie with heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream. Watch them dig in with gusto. Serves 8
Pastry for double-crust pie
Egg white, melted butter, or flour (optional)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cherry juice
1¼ cups honey
3 cups red sour cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon butter
Make the Pie Crust recipe (see here). On a floured surface, roll one portion of dough to about 3 inches larger than your pie plate. Fold the dough in half and gently unfold into the pie plate. Press the dough gently to fit the pie plate. Using a knife, trim the edges, leaving a ¾-inch overhang. Do not prick the bottom crust! To prevent a soggy crust, brush it with an egg white or melted butter, or sprinkle lightly with flour, if using.
Roll the second portion of dough to a diameter of about 13 inches and cut the dough into eighteen ½-inch-wide strips. Leave the strips on the cutting board until you’re ready for the top crust.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
To make the filling, combine the cornstarch and cherry juice in a saucepan over low heat; add the honey and cook until the mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, and add the cherries and butter, stirring well. Set aside to cool.
Pour the filling into the pastry-lined pie plate.
To make a lattice-top crust, follow the instructions here.
Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Cover loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack.
CLARA’S TIPS ON PIE DOUGH Lard is making a comeback? Great news! Among my favorite memories is learning to make pies with my grandmother Clara in Southampton, New York. I spent hours at her side learning her technique for making pie crust, and one of her essential ingredients was lard—no substitutes. You had to work just the right amount into the flour mixture, then make a small well in the middle for the ice water. With her thumb in the well, she would spin the bowl, flinging water lightly into the crust, mentioning every single time that the trick to a flaky crust was to make sure the water was ice cold, to use as little as possible, and to handle the dough very little, just enough to form a ball. Her crusts were always perfect, mine not so much. I can still see her beautiful old fingers, bent from arthritis, gently working the water into the dough.
The recipe? That’s a tough one. After adding salt, baking soda, and baking powder in pinches to an estimate of flour, she would cut off a sliver of lard without measuring. When I make pies today, I just imagine she’s standing there looking over my shoulder and somehow it works out, though mine are never quite like hers. The tough part has been finding the lard! It’s been getting harder over the years’ as many grocery stores not only don’t stock it but most clerks have never heard of it. I’ve taken to asking the butcher. It’s wonderful that your cookbook may help to bring it back to its rightful place.
And for you lard and music lovers out there, nothing beats the great children’s song “Lard,” by the Green Chili Jam Band. Check it out on iTunes.
Susan Reres, Afton, Virginia
This Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish specialty is more commonly known as “shoofly pie.” It’s believed that shoofly pie may be so called because the sweet ingredients—molasses and brown sugar—beckoned flies, which needed to be “shooed” away. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream. Serves 8
½ cup mild molasses
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup boiling water
2¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ginger
⅛ teaspoon cloves
6 to 8 tablespoons lard, softened
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
In a large bowl, combine the molasses, egg yolk, and baking soda. Pour in the boiling water and blend; set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine ¾ cup of flour, the brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves; using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons lard. Set aside.
Sift the remaining 1½ cups of flour with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt; cut in the remaining 4 to 6 tablespoons of lard. Add only enough cold water to hold the dough together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to fit your pie plate.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Line the pie plate with the pastry, pressing gently to fit. Alternately, layer in the spice mixture and the molasses mixture, ending with the spice mixture.
Bake until the crust edges start to brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until firm, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
This late-season southern classic is traditional fare that originated during the Depression. Depression-era folks never let a thing go to waste, so with necessity being the mother of invention, this green tomato pie was created by a farm wife who wanted to put an apple pie on the table but had no apples. Something strange but delicious happens to green tomatoes when they are prepared in this pie. Serve this sweet—not savory—pie with ice cream, heavy cream, or hard sauce (see here). Serves 8
CRUST
2¼ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup lard, cold and coarsely chopped
⅓ cup cold water
FILLING
3 cups unpeeled thinly sliced green tomatoes
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup mild molasses
½ cup water
To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles peas. Do not overmix. Add the cold water gradually, sprinkling 1 tablespoon at a time over the mixture. Toss lightly with a fork until all the flour has been moistened and the pastry sticks together in a ball—it should not feel wet.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll the dough into 2 round balls, handling as little as possible. On a lightly floured board, roll one dough ball to a ⅛-inch thickness and 1 inch larger than the diameter of the edge of the pie plate. Gently place the bottom crust in the pie plate. Place in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the tomatoes in a large saucepan and cover with boiling water; let stand for 10 minutes, then drain and dry. Pile the tomato slices in the unbaked pastry shell.
In a bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and spices. Add the molasses and water. Pour the mixture over the tomatoes.
Roll out the remaining dough for the top crust. After filling the bottom crust, place the top crust carefully over the filling. Moisten the edge of the top crust with cold water. Press together the edges of the top and bottom crusts tightly using a fork, or flute with your fingers.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before slicing.
BEST PIE CRUST AROUND We grew up in the country near the homes of both sets of grandparents, and my “double” cousins. (A brother and sister married sister and brother.) I remember going to one grandparents’ house where there was always a consistent stream of homemade molasses cookies—made with lard, of course—waiting for us. My mother would tell how the huge cast-iron kettle, now used for decoration in a flower bed, once had been used to render the lard and suet in the fall.
My mother’s baked beans were well known in the neighborhood as the best, and she credited the taste to her use of fresh side pork. We were always confused at how we got to eat the beans as a Friday night meat substitute, however.
The one thing my mother was most proud of, though, was her pie crust. I remember how she insisted I learn how to make it, because, in her mind, mastering perfect pie crust was like a degree from Le Cordon Bleu. Recently, when offered some fat from a locally butchered pig, I jumped at the chance to take it, and now we’ll see if I have inherited Mom’s knack of creating the best pie crust around.
Jan Look, Hastings, Michigan
