BATHING BEAUTY

"So much to do, so little done, such things to be."

Elizabeth Taylor. Simply gorgeous.

WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION

"Even in the movies people like pies; but here our concern is with pastry to be eaten, not tossed at comedians. It is saddening instead of funny that, in homes as well as in restaurants, the great American yearning for pie is so often thwarted by pastry that armorplates a delicious filling. Sometimes the cruel crust is of the anemic variety, pale, underbaked, in need of a little healthy oven-tan. Or it may be of the cardboard type, thick and doughy, of unappealing texture and lacking in flavor because it has been cheated on shortening. Or it may be tough and leathery, requiring main force to pry it apart. In the last case the cook has used too much water, or worked so hard in mixing that the eater must work, too. In happy contrast, a good pastry is tinted golden brown, with a blistered surface. It is light, crisp, and flaky, tender enough to break easily, but not so tender that it crumbles when cut. Undercrusts should never resist the fork, but neither should they be soggy absorbers of filling. This high standard is achieved by combining ingredients in the proper proportions, by chilling and careful handling of the dough and by watchful baking. Recipes which follow were carefully tested to give you the best of many methods, but in no other baking is your own manipulation of materials so important as it is in pastry-making."   - from the pages of Woman's Home Companion Cook Book
 

Ingredients

Flour, salt, shortening and water are the basic ingredients of pastry. One cup of sifted all-purpose flour to 1/3 cup of shortening is the proportion which gives the ideal crust if manipulation and baking are correctly done. The proportion of flour to shortening can make the difference between a crisp tender flaky crust and those that fall short of this ideal. Too little shortening makes a thick doughy crust; too much makes a too-delicate crust. With too little water the dough will be crumbly and will not hold together when rolled; with too much it will be sticky and hard to roll, and as the proportion of water is increased the finished pastry will be increasingly tough. About 3 tablespoon of water to 1 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup of shortening is the correct proportion.

Mixing

Correct mixing is as important as proportions of ingredient. The flour and salt should be mixed and the shortening cut in with a pastry blender or two table knives. Cutting the shortening in very thoroughly gives a tender crust, cutting it in coarsely a flaky one; the manipulation described under plain pastry suggests that half of the shortening be cut in until the mixture resembles corn meal - this for tenderness; and the remaining half be cut in only until the particles of fat are about the size of navy beans  - this for flakiness.


The water should be sprinkled a little at a time over the surface of the flour and fat mixture, then blended by pressing the wet particles of flour together and tossing them to one side while a dry portion is sprinkled. Never use a stirring motion. The tines of the fork rather than a spoon should be used for this purpose.


When the dough has all been moistened it should be gathered together in a ball with fork or fingers, then pressed together, avoiding a kneading motion. An easy way to do this is to turn the dough out on a piece of waxed paper, rap it up and press. 


Too much mixing or too much handling after the water has been added makes a tough crust with a  smooth pale surface. 


The dough may be rolled out immediately or it may be chilled before rolling. Chilling helps to make a flakier pastry. Care should be taken, however, not to overchill it, especially if it is put into a mechanical refrigerator. Twenty minutes to a half-hour should be enough.

Rolling

Deft, light strokes of the rolling pin and not too much flour on the board are essential. Place a ball of pastry dough on a board lightly floured to prevent sticking. A correctly mixed pastry may still be turned into a tough streaked doughty crust by letting it take up too much flour from the rolling board.  A pastry cloth or heavy canvas cover for the board and a stockinet cover for the rolling pin take all the risks out of rolling pastry. 


Roll quickly and lightly, always from the center out, until the dough is about an eighth of an inch thick. As the rolling pin approaches the edge of the dough on each stroke, it should be lifted, never rolled on over the edge. Rolling over the edge makes the edge too thin, hence gives it a tendency to split. Any split that does  occur should be pinched together before the rolling is continued.


If the dough sticks to the board it should be loosened with a spatula slipped under it and a little flour sprinkled on the spot. The dough should be lifted frequently during the rolling, but should not be turned over. 

Panning Piecrust

When the dough has been rolled to a shape and size to fit the pan in which it is to be baked, fold it in half and lift it carefully into the pan, with the fold in the center.


Unfold the dough and fit it loosely into the pan, taking care to make it fit snugly into the seam where the sides and bottom of the pan join. Stretching the dough in the pan will make the pastry shell shrink during baking. When the dough fits properly, pat it all over its surface to eliminate any air pockets underneath - a little ball of dough is useful for this. Then the edges should be cut according to the kind of pie. 

Pastry Shell

Prick the pastry shell with a fork to allow the escape of any air between crust and pan. Bake on the upper shelf of an oven preheated to 450º F to set the edges quickly and prevent the shell from shrinking. Transfer to the lower shelf of the oven after the crust is set if the edges are in danger of getting too brown before the rest of the crust is baked. 


If the shell bulges during the first moments of baking despite the preliminary pricking, prick it again and it will lie flat. Once the pastry has set it will not bulge.


Another way to prevent bulging is to place a second pie pan of the same size inside the pastry-lined pan  - or a double layer of dried beans will hold the pastry flat. The pie pan or beans should be removed before the shell is fully baked to allow the bottom to crisp. 

Filled Pies

Pies filled before baking should be baked on the lower shelf of an oven preheated to 425º F to allow the filling to cook through before the crust is too brown. Brushing the top of a double-crust pie with milk or diluted egg yolk will give it a rich brown color when baked.


The greatest problem in baking pies with a soft filling, such as custard, pumpkin, and fruit, is the prevention of a soggy undercrust. The methods which work best with the least trouble are the following:


Custard Pies// Have the shell thoroughly chilled before putting in the filling. Have the filling hot and put it in the shell at the last moment before the pie goes into the oven.


Fruit Pies// Mix the flour and sugar in the proportions recommended in the individual recipes. Spread half of this mixture over the bottom of the pastry-lined pan. Add the fruit and sprinkle the remainder of the flour-sugar mixture on top. The flour and sugar under the fruit catches the juices of the fruit as they run out and thickens them before they are soaked up by the pastry.


Standard Pastry
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening, chilled
6 tablespoons cold water, more or less

1.  Sift flour; measure; add salt and sift again. 
2. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in half of the shortening thoroughly or until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Cut in remaining shortening coarsely or until particles are about the size of peas.
3. Sprinkle water, 1 tablespoon at at time, over small portions of the mixture; with a fork press the flour particles together as they absorb the water; do not stir. Toss aside pieces of dough as formed and sprinkle remaining water over dry portions; use only enough water to hold the pastry together. It should not be wet or slippery. Press all together lightly with the fingers or wrap dough in waxed paper and press together gently. Bear in mind that the less the dough is handled the more tender and flaky the pastry will be. Chill dough.
4. Roll out as directed above. Makes two 9-inch pastry shells, one 9-inch two-crust pie or eight to ten 4-inch tart shells. 

FOLLOW THE WHITE RABBIT

The Rabbitsons, alena beljakov

I'm sort of obsessed with white rabbits. I can't out figure out if it's a recent thing or if rabbits have always held a certain kind of fascination for me. As a child we kept a couple of pet bunnies. One day they just mysteriously disappeared. And who could blame Alice for falling down the rabbit hole? Ever since the release of Fatal Attraction, one of my favorite expressions is, "bunny boiler." And the sight of a bobbing head rabbit on a car dashboard will steal a smile from me. I've also been collecting images of strangers wearing rabbit masks for years. They're unsettling and intriguing at the same time. Here are some rabbit related items that have previously caught my interest...

1//Hugs-a-porcupine origami rabbit pin.

2//Handmade bobbing head rabbit from Japan. 

3//The Rogue and the Wolf stainless steel bunny ears ring.

 4//Hand carved bunny ears stamp.

SONG FOR SUNDAY

hazel, dirty-blond hair

I wouldn't be ashamed to be seen with you anywhere

you got something I want plenty of

ooh, a little touch of your love

hazel, stardust in your eye

you're goin' somewhere and so am I

I'd give you the sky high above

ooh, for a little touch of your love

oh no, I don't need any reminder

to know how much I really care

but it's just making me blinder and blinder

because I'm up on a hill and still you're not there

hazel, you called and I came

now don't make me play this waiting game

you've got something I want plenty of

ooh, a little touch of your love

(bob dylan, hazel)

ph//craig fordham

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE DAY

Today is strawberry-rhubarb pie day! Although, to be honest I haven't seen any rhubarb around. I'm not sure it's even in season . That's the funny thing about these official pie days, the fruit being celebrated is never quite in season. Oh well, I'll save this recipe for when I can actually find rhubarb. If you have better luck than myself, try the below recipe I found at KCRW's Good Food. I swapped out their all-lard crust for an all-butter crust.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

all-butter double crust

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb (about 5 cups), ends trimmed, outer layer peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons arrowroot*

pinch salt

1 1/2 lb strawberries (about 5 cups), hulled and quartered

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the rhubarb and 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the rhubarb has shed most of its liquid but is still firm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and cool in fridge.
2. Remove one of the dough disks from the fridge. Roll out on a lightly floured surface or between two pieces of plastic wrap to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, trim the dough but leave a slight overhang. Refrigerate until needed.
3. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on it, and preheat oven to 500º F. 
4. In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup of sugar, the arrowroot and salt. In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, cooled rhubarb, vanilla and orange zest. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top and stir to combine. Spoon the fruit evenly into the pie shell and pack lightly. 
5. Roll out the second dough disk to a 12-inch circle and place over the filling. Trim the edges of the top and bottom dough layers to 1/2-inch beyond the pan lip. Tuck this rim underneath itself so that the folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute the edges. Cut slits in the dough top. If the pie dough is very soft, place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush the top of the crust with the egg white and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. 
6. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425º F. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the pie and lower the oven temperature to 375º F; continue baking until the juices bubble and the crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Cool the pie on a wire rack until room temperature, 3-4 hours, before serving. 

*If you don't have arrowroot on hand, you can make the following substitutions:

1/4 cup quick-cooking (pearl) tapioca // Note: Not recommended with lattice or open crust pies as it remains hard when exposed to the hot air of the oven. Always mix the thickener with the sugar first to prevent lumps, then add fruit. Let the filling mixture stand for at least 15 minutes before spooning into the pie crust. This allows for more efficient thickening.

Flour //Note: Rule of thumb is about 1/3 cup of flour to each quart of fruit, but each recipe varies. As well as sprinkling the flour directly on the cut fruit, but be sure to sprinkle an extra tablespoon of flour on the bottom of the crust before pouring in the filling which helps thicken the fruit juices that seep to the bottom when cooking.

Cornstarch //Note: It has twice the thickening power of flour, but also imparts a slightly starchy taste. This is why you should precook a cup of the fruit with the cornstarch before baking the pie.

ph//owlhaven

PLAY IT COOL

Have a cool weekend!

ph//the pie shops

PHOTO BOOTH

There's something intriguing about vintage photo booth strips. You can't help but wonder who these folks were, what their lives were like, if they were happy, sad, in love, heartbroken...

Check out these series of photographs titled, Auto-Portrait, by Yoko Kanayama. Between 1996 -2000 she took a series of head-to-toe self portraits in a photo booth at her local drugstore. Pretty amazing.

ph//walter plotnick//mwaterslide

Yoko Kanayama
www.yokorabbit.com