The Pie Installment, vol. 1

Let’s nail down American-style pie dough for the holiday and beyond!

Happy almost July Fourth!

We’ve been through the ringer the past few years, and it’s non-stop. I want to say wake me when it’s over, but that strategy has never worked in the past. In the meantime, I’m going to make a pie. It will not fix the world’s problems, but it will make everybody’s day sweeter. And what could be more all-American than a slice of pie on July 4th?

Before I dive into the geeky details, I should tell you that I have literally made thousands of pies. I started baking when I was demoted from line cook to pastry chef by our friendly neighbor/mentor—French chef Eugene Bernard —who believed women did not belong behind the line. He anointed one of the young male cooks by inviting him to do a stage at his very fancy restaurant in New York City. When the cook returned, I became persona non grata in the kitchen. I went downstairs to the ‘bak…