Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Not Helping

My version of hell would be having to make pie dough, all day, every day, over and over and over and over and over and over, FOREVER. I don't know why it's such an ordeal, there are only four ingredients and no fancy heating, cooling or time changes. Flour, salt, shortening and water. What's my problem? I was making tarts yesterday, three kinds because I am that kind of overachieving weirdo, and the dough just would not cooperate. One batch was all crumbly and wouldn't hold together no matter how much water I added, the second was tough and wouldn't cut well, too gooey, too flaky, too hard, it just went on and on. I talked to my mother because she can fix any sort of edible disaster. She has a science degree in food & nutrition AND clothing & textiles - where do I get my overachieving-ness I wonder? - and her consolation is that some people just do not have a talent for certain types of cuisine. She, for example, "just can't make" baked beans from scratch. Well thanks mom, but how is that a comfort from the same woman who not only CAN make pie, any pie including mincemeat, pecan, banana cream and chocolate torte but can also whip up my wedding dress in a weekend:
She also made both my sister's wedding dresses:Who really needs baked beans from scratch, I ask you?! But pie? Pie is a basic human requirement. Second only to air. Maybe. It was not a pretty afternoon.
Jane. Pie dough. Flaming swords. Iron bars. Eternal purgatory. It's all the same thing.

This is me, pie dough deficient.

2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I have never been successful with pie crusts either. I decided that is why Heavenly Father put the premade piecrusts from Pillsbury into stores...so that I can actually say I made pie. I really don't know what my problem is...

Rocketgirl said...

I totally would have pegged you for a crust kind of gal. And now I totally want some pie - dang it.

From Whence You Cometh