Tuesday, January 18, 2011

All the way home made

I do not think I am going to be known for the quality of  my pie crust. I don't think that the ideal home made crust should have a metallic after taste or cause a frantic compulsion to rinse your mouth and brush your teeth. Thoroughly.

I looked for a sell by date on my Crisco but I couldn't find one. Does grease go  bad? It could have also been a problem that I don't have a pastry cutter, my recipe called for a pastry cutter and I don't have one but I do have two metal spatulas. You get your dough into pea sized balls your way I'll get mine in my own way.Mu one spatula is sharp enough to be a weapon, I didn't know this before I started and in the future if I want to go for a walk,I think I will leave the dog behind and just pack my spatula. Dick around with me and not only will I cut you into manageable pieces and then I will flip you over as well.

In my defence, the crust looked lovely.

After dinner I was still hungry, I tried all the old standbys to distract myself and while that worked for a while, I was still needy. I decided what I really wanted was a childhood treat and I also decided that I was not going to store to buy it. I made dog cookies earlier in the day and I was pretty sure I had what I needed to make pie crust.

I had flour, milk, butter, sugar - All the usual suspects, and now I just had to track down a recipe. I only have a couple of dozen cookbooks, at least one should have a recipe. "Pie Crust" is not listed - what is listed is variations in how many layers you want. Pain in the ass cook book writers.

I found one. Pie crust doesn't require milk, butter or sugar. It wants flour and shortening and water. I knew I had at least two of those. The shortening took a little longer and required some searching through my larder. I think the Crisco is where I think my problems started. The flour and water I would swear by. I think the lack of a sell by date on the can of grease could be a problem.

I think now I know why my Mother and I and everyone else I know buy the stuff premade at the store. It lacks a certain metalic aftertaste.

I am still hungry.

2 comments:

Cat said...

Oh yeah, Crisco can definitely go rancid, and when it does, it makes you want to run for the toothbrush as you describe. Next time substitute butter for the shortening and your pie crust should be tasty.

Auntie Susan said...

And very flaky, in a good way.