The Pie Guy
The Pie Guy #8 – Fresh Nectarine Pie
This pie is another experiment. I like peach pie, and I like nectarines, so I figured, what the heck. As long as there is a recipe for a pie made out of something I like, and people seem to like the PIE, then I am in. I also have vanilla ice cream to make sure. It worked with the apple pie. Everyone dug in and that one was gone almost as soon as I sliced it.
This brings me within four pies of the writing of the first book by The Pie Guy – wherein I will explain my contempt for crappy, thin, too small and overpriced pies as sold in stores – go on about my childhood and how much I love pie in general – and tell you all the lessons I’ve learned along the way trying to bake all these fruit pies. I will probably talk about how much I enjoyed EATING them as well.
So without further ado – the gallery of photos from the Fresh Nectarine Pie.
The Pie Guy #7 – Honey Crisp Apple
Okay, this one is cooling on the stove, and I have to say…it smells awesome. There are six cored and sliced honey-crisp apples inside, dusted with sugar and cinnamon, sprinkled with lemon juice to keep the apples from discoloring prior to baking…butter (margerin, actually) melted in between the slices.
I purposely held off on apple pie because it is one that most of the family loves. I wanted everyone to enjoy it. As usual, I overstuffed it a bit. There are more of them than the recipe called for, but somehow it did not pop the crust open, or spoil the amazing smell.
One thing that led me to start baking pies is the ridiculous, deflated, tiny things we’ve started bringing home from the grocery store with the label “pie” on them. They have very little filling, they don’t seem to be a full 9″ around…they just are not what I remember, or grew up loving, and honestly – at $9-$12 apiece, I can make much better ones much cheaper – and DO. Here is the gallery for the honey-crisp apple pie.
The Pie Guy #6 Fresh Kiwi Pie
Of all the strange pies that have occurred to me, which is how this whole journey to make as many as possible began, Fresh Kiwi Pie seemed one of the least likely. I have to say, now that we have made it, tried it and fallen in love with it (or I did, anyway) … the “PIE” is the limit (lol). This is a very very good pie. The nutmeg in the recipe makes it – at first taste – seem a bit like an apple pie. But it is sweeter than an apple pie, and at the same time has a tiny citrus twang that gives it an extra burst of flavor. It is also a good consistency…not too much juice, firms up well.
It’s a lot of work, but only for the peeling of the fruit. Katie helped me, and I managed to keep her from stealing too many bits of kiwi (we both love the fruit fresh, and we peeled two dozen of them. Another thing learned is that four cups of kiwi is right around 12 of the little buggers. I would have put in five cups per pie, but I only bought 24, and I promised to bring a pie to work on Monday.
That is the last lesson I learned today. It takes more planning to make two pies at the same time. I pulled it off, but…I will make more preparations next time. For now, here is my gallery of fresh kiwi pie photographs.
-DNW
The Pie Guy #5 Fresh Grape Pie
This one was simple, and fun. My daughter Katie helped me get the stems off of the grapes. We don’t know what kind they are…they are red, sweet, and seedless. The recipe called for less than usual, which always makes me smile. We substituted lime juice for lemon juice because somewhere between the store and home the lemon I bought disappeared. Probably in the trunk of my car…
Anyway, we will be having pizza, and then doing a taste-testing of this one…hoping for another success, because five of five would be awesome.
In other news (and to come in a later post) received my “Invisible Shoes” today. Will be having a video shot when I first put them on and muck about in them…because the folks who sold them to me asked for it. Also got some light sweat pants and long-sleeved wicking t-shirts to run in…because I will be starting to run again soon. Shoeless Dave…that’s me. No shoes, got pie…
-DNW
The Pie Guy #4 – Fresh Pineapple Pie
This one is by request. I’ve found that my quest to make a whole lot of pies, many of them slightly exotic, has not brought the enthusiastic family response I’d hoped for. The pies are good, but mostly I’ve eaten them myself, or with the help of a couple of the kids on each one. This time out – fresh pineapple pie, because my eight year old daughter Katie requested it. Hopefully, with Steph still here until Monday, at least three of us will attack this one…fifteen minutes from now when it’s done. I’ll add those pictures later. For now…here are some of the tools of the trade on this one – zester, pineapple princess for coring the pineapple … and the ridiculous horribly sculpted pineapple on top…I am NOT the sculptor guy…PIE, remember?
The Pie Guy – A Quest – #3 – Fresh Mango Pie
I recently started a new project. Eventually it will become an e-Book, and it’s a lot of fun. It started because I got disgusted with the frozen pies you buy and heat up on holidays. When I was kid, my grandmothers all made pies. They were pies that filled the pie-pan, puffed up over the top, had sparkling sugar crystals sometimes, and were ALWAYS good. The pies we get no are tiny, thin, and just don’t make me happy – thus the quest.
I will become “The Pie Guy.” I have already scoured the net for a few oddities, and begun the journey, which started when one night I wondered if you could make Persimmons into a pie. You can, and it is WONDERFUL…even if I make it. I have learned lessons. For one thing, the old beer can opener on the end of your bottle opener that no longer opens beer? You can use it to crimp the edge of a pie. The words “just peel and slice the mangos” are code for make a huge sloppy mess, never really SEE a seed and come to hate mangos with a white hot burning passion…
Today, as I write this, pie #3 is in the oven … fresh mango pie. I have already baked a persimmon pie and a fresh pear pie (which was much like apple pie). Next up is either pinapple, grape, or kiwi. When I have 12, I will finish the first book…including lessons, stupid mistakes, out-takes, and more. Here are some shots of the Mango pie prior to being baked.
-DNW (AKA Pie Guy)
