Denver + Reading Material

The Rocky Mountains | Image: Laura Messersmith

We’re in Colorado this weekend, coincidentally at the same time that the Food & Wine Classic is happening in Aspen. While it sounds like such a cool event (and I did have a Gail Simmons sighting on our flight out), I’m psyched to have my entire immediate family together and to see a new part of the country. 

Hope you have fun plans for the weekend too – and in case you need a little reading material, here’s what caught my eye on the internet this week…

Reading Material:

Ina Garten continues to be a guiding light – both in the kitchen and in Life. Forbes has a great re-cap of her talk at the Third Annual Women’s Summit.

Yes, 2015 is the Year of Pie for me and just in time for all the glorious summer fruit to ripen, the Bon Appétit test kitchen has a step by step guide for how to make a perfectly imperfect pie.

You know I’m all about #smallkitchenfriendly cooking, but even some of these tips from The Kitchn for making it work in a tiny space were new to me.

Town and Country pretty much nailed this list of preppy movies and now I’m dying to watch Lewis and Billy Ray rock those orange juice futures.

Laurie Colwin writes like a character Nora Ephron might have invented, and therefore seems to be universally beloved by food writers & bloggers - so Food52 organized a themed picnic based on her recipes!

Fresh Blueberry Pie

Fresh Blueberry Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Easy as Pie”

The Set-up: Ina and Michael The Florist are trading lessons – she’s showing him pie techniques and he’s showing her flower arranging tricks.

The Menu: Raspberry Corn Muffins, Fresh Blueberry Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

0:44 – Since they’ll need fuel for the baking lesson, Ina is making Raspberry Corn Muffins to get them started.

1:07 – Ina promises that these corn muffins won’t be “dry as a bone” and she’s not messing around – between the eggs, milk, and two sticks of butter about 3 cups of liquid is mixed in. 

2:00 – Pro Tip #1: Don’t over mix the muffins or the gluten will develop and make them tough. Pro Tip #2: Use an ice cream scoop (the kind with the trigger) to portion the batter perfectly.

3:39 – We check in with Michael The Florist and he’s prepping to show Ina how to make a “hedge” flower arrangement. 

4:26 – Back with Ina to pipe raspberry jam into the corn muffins. I can see that my lack of a piping bag is holding me back from filling things up with jam…

5:11 – Michael The Florist arrives and is immediately handed a freshly baked, freshly be-jammed muffin. I bet they’re still warm and I reeeally wish I had one right now.

9:13 – Pastry Lesson #1: Lighten the flour and level it off in the measuring cup. If you forget how many you’ve put in, start over. (Not that I’ve ever had to do that…)

10:01 – Pastry Lesson #2: Really cold butter, really cold shortening, really cold water. If you’re me you’re wondering how on earth she diced shortening and then you’re remembering that they make it in sticks now. Progress in our time!

11:19 – Pastry Lesson #3: Quickly collect the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let it relax. Keeping everything cold makes the butter release steam when it hits the hot oven.

12:48 – Now we’re on to the filling of the pies. Ina is working on the Strawberry Rhubarb and Michael The Florist is rocking Fresh Blueberry.

13:30 – Both fillings need a thickening agent to help the fruit and juices stay together in the pie. The Strawberry Rhubarb calls for cornstarch, while the Fresh Blueberry uses flour. I wonder why the difference? This calls for some research…

14:31 – Pastry Lesson #4: Generously flour the surface before rolling out the crust to make sure it doesn’t stick.  

15:16 - Pastry Lesson #5: Roll the dough from the center turning the crust periodically to form an even circle.

16:43 – Pastry Lesson #6: If the edge cracks, brush it with just a little with water and press the pieces back together.

17:05 – Pastry Lesson #7: Hold the pie plate you’re using over the rolled dough to help determine if it’s large enough. Then use the rolling pin to help lift the crust into the pan and ease the dough into the bottom. Don’t stretch it!

18:39 – Ina is doing a lattice top on her pie and Michael The Florist is doing a plain top. I still haven’t attempted a lattice top, but it seems far more do-able than it used to.

22:24 – Pastry Lesson #8: Glue the top and bottom crust together with egg wash and then press together with a fork, or by folding the bottom over the top and crimp the dough between two fingers so that it forms a ruffle along the edge.

23:46 – Time for the flower lesson, and in case you’re wondering, Michael The Florist is wearing a peony colored sweater that matches the blooms perfectly.

24:52 – A hedge arrangement seems to be long rectangles of that green foam flower oasis in low trays that are then covered with the flowers like a topiary. And now I want them to make one with boxwood.

25:29 – Flower Lesson #1: Choose a consistent color palette in a variety of shapes and textures. Flower Lesson #2: Place the larger flowers first then fill in with smaller blooms working from hydrangeas, peonies down to garden and spray roses.

26:03 – Flower Lesson #3: To ensure guests can see over the flowers put your elbow on the table and don’t make the arrangement any taller than your wrist. This is a brilliant hack. Flower Lesson #4: Avoid heavily scented flowers like freesia and lilies, they compete with the food!

27:44 – Wedding-ish flowers are done, but instead of cake Ina and Michael The Florist gleefully decide they’ll celebrate with “Pie!!!” instead.

28:57 – A toast with forkfuls of flaky pastry and fruit before Michael The Florist tries to abscond with the rest of the Fresh Blueberry. Ina resists tackling him to the ground, but just barely.

Fresh Blueberry Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Final Thoughts:
I’ve been trying to up my pie game this year (2015, The Year of the Pie) and I truly am finding that practice is leading to better results.

This pie making tutorial is right on point for summer – so much fruit, so many pies to make!

Who else thinks that both Ina and Michael The FloristTM will continue to outsource their flower and pie making needs, respectively?

Lessons Learned:
I’ve basically only ever made apple pie, which now that I read it in black and white sounds kind of sad, so Fresh Blueberry Pie was a new challenge and pie crust is always a challenge for me, although I’m getting better! I took a class with Food52’s pie whisperer, Erin McDowell last December and my efforts with this recipe were definitely influenced by the wisdom she shared.

Dough Recipe – Confession time: shortening creeps me out, and while I’ve used it in pie crust before I wanted to try making a crust with butter only. Or, more accurately Erin McDowell’s All Buttah Pie Dough doubled for two 9” crusts.

Dough Mixing – Ina’s technique of using a food processor to mix the dough is amazingly easy, so much better than using a pastry cutter and trying to mix it by hand, although it certainly can be done.

Soggy Crust Avoidance Step #1 – I love fruit pies, but soggy bottom crust, not so much. If you’re with me on this, then I have fantastic news!!! I tried a new technique called par-baking – Erin’s guidance on the subject is detailed here – but in a nutshell it means partially baking just the lower crust (10-12 minutes was about right – you don’t want the edge to get too dark when it bakes again later.)

Soggy Crust Avoidance Step #2 – I also brushed the par-baked crust with egg wash before filling it with the blueberries, a recommended step for further preventing the crust from absorbing too much juice. The result: a crisp, firm bottom crust that has enough structural integrity to hold the slice together! [choirs of angels sing…] It does take an extra step, but for me it’s worth it.

Fancy Top Crust – I admit, I got a little fancy here, again Erin is responsible for giving me ideas, but here’s the good news: this is at least as easy as making a top crust and possibly a little easier. I just rolled out the dough to about the size I’d need for the top crust, then used large star-shaped cookie cutters. I free-form layered the stars on top of the blueberries and brushed each layer with egg wash to help the pieces stick together. That’s it!

Fresh Blueberry Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Small Kitchen Friendly?
More than most pies, no peeling or slicing required! For the pastry I used a 6 cup food processor, 9” pie plate, measuring cups and spoons, rolling pin, cookie cutter, a utility knife, a small cutting board, pastry brush and a small bowl. Additionally, for the filling I needed a medium mixing bowl, microplane zester, and rubber spatula. Plastic wrap, parchment paper, and pie weights (dry rice or beans work perfectly and can be re-used) round out the necessary items. 

The Verdict:
As you can imagine a Fresh Blueberry Pie with a crisp, all buttah crust is pretty darn amazing. The blueberries are perfectly complimented by the gentle zing of lemon zest and turn just this side of a molten blueberry preserve. I served it to friends who had come over for Saturday night cards – we’re channeling our parents and trying to learn bridge. Perfect on it’s own, even more delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Maybe for this weekend or the Fourth of July?

Fresh Blueberry Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Deep Dish Apple Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Sweet Home Supper”

The Set-up: Ina invited Michael the Flustered Florist ™ for a dinner inspired by the comfort food of his Pennsylvania childhood.

The Menu: Oven Fried Chicken, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Green Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, Deep Dish Apple Pie

0:44 – Ina kicks off this episode with Oven Fried Chicken and I am excited to see how she manages crispy chicken without a ton of frying oil.

1:30 – Oh dear, step one involved breaking down a whole chicken. Perhaps some day I’ll be as blasé about butchering as Ina is, but not yet…

2:26 – Step 2: marinate the chicken in buttermilk to tenderize. Why is buttermilk only sold in quarts? I literally never need that much, ever.

3:18 – Quick check in with Michael at the shop and he’s playing his role of “Flustered Florist” to the hilt. Give this man an Emmy!

4:09 – We’re back with Ina as she starts the pastry for Deep Dish Apple Pie. She correctly identifies pie crust as the top source of baking anxiety. Count me among the intimidated.

5:42 – Ina’s Pro Tips for pastry success include: 1. Very cold ingredients (butter, vegetable shortening, ice water). 2. Use the food processor on pulse to cut in the butter. 3. Chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.

9:11 – Now that the dough is resting we’re moving on to make the dressing for Green Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing, which mainly involves pureeing Roquefort (obvi) and mayonnaise in the food processor.

10:37 – Ina doesn’t say this, but I’ll bet the flavors in the blue cheese dressing improve if it’s made ahead of time.

11:36 – Onward to make the pie filling for Deep Dish Apple Pie! This is something else I struggle with, no matter how many apples I put in it always seems to cook down. Keeping a close eye on this step…

12:25 – Back to see what Michael the Flustered Florist ™ is up to – mainly covert delivery operations to patios and front stoops across the Hamptons.

13:53 – The Moment of Truth! Pie crust rolling time. Ina shares a few more Pro Tips for pie crust success: 1. A well-floured surface. 2. Keep moving the dough as you roll to make sure it isn’t sticking. 3. Use the rolling pin to help move the dough into the pie plate. 4. Ease the dough into the pie plate, don’t stretch! 5. Use a little water to re-seal any cracks.

15:45 – Ina calls this “mile-high apple pie” and she’s not kidding – I’d guess her filling is about 1.5 – 2 inches above the edge. Filing that away for later…

16:01 – Finishing touches are on – egg wash + a sprinkling of sugar to make the crust brown and a little shiny. Yum!

18:49 – Now for the frying of the chicken, which involves my least favorite cooking prep process: flouring the buttermilk soaked chicken pieces. Eww.

19:13 – Even Ina can’t quite mask her disgust over her flour-encased fingers. This is the reason Shake N’ Bake was invented.

20:56 – Chicken fryin’ time. This the other reason I never make fried chicken – what to do with all that oil?

21:48 – Pie is out of the oven, chicken is in the oven, and next Ina is making the Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes.

22:24 – Ina has heated the milk and butter on the stove before she adds them to the mashed potatoes - brilliant.

23:30 – Now for the sour cream and the seasonings. I bet the tang of the sour cream in the potatoes pairs beautifully with the buttermilk in the chicken preparation.

26:19 – Final prep on Green Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.  Ina’s play on a traditional wedge salad uses green leaf lettuce instead of iceberg. Good move.

27:07 – Ina’s solve for lettuce too big for a salad spinner is to whip it around in a kitchen towel which sprinkles her entire kitchen with droplets of water. Probably one of my all-time favorite moments.

28:32 – Well, we can trace the heirloom tomato craze back to at least 2005 when this episode first aired – Ina’s recommending them for this salad.

29:12 – Michael the Flustered Florist ™ has arrived and he and Ina are driving right into a supper that looks so, so good.

30:00 – PS: for folks following along at home – Ina’s pie did not fall in the middle and I swear I can smell the apples and spices through the TV. My stomach is growling.

Final Thoughts:
Ina has such a knack for transforming old-fashioned recipes into something fresh.

I really need to make pie – after my dessert class a few weeks ago and now this episode it’s time.

If I were coming to dinner at Ina's after a hard day my menu would definitely involve chocolate cake.

Deep Dish Apple Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Lessons Learned:
Deep Dish Apple Pie it had to be done. I dug out my copy of Barefoot Contessa Family Style, rolled up my sleeves and prepared to make both the pie crust and the filling. If I had to identify my two major areas of “opportunity” I’d say rolling the crust and portioning the filling. I always seem to end up with a wonky shape and pies that seem really full, but then fall after they cool. Not life ending, but annoying when you’ve put in so much effort.

Alas, even though I followed the recipe to a T, I still fell a little short of where I wanted to be.

I’d chalk that up to two factors:

1. Not enough water in the pie crust. A careful observer will notice that the edge of my pie is missing in one section – that’s because it literally cracked a little and fell off during baking. I’d noticed when I was rolling out the dough that it felt a little dry and was prone to splitting a little, but it didn’t seem excessive, so I let it ride. Rookie mistake.

2. Not enough apples in the filling. I piled them up to what I thought was a crazy height and they still cooked down quite a lot resulting in a concave top. Rats.

Luckily, neither of these issues are insurmountable, but both have inexperience as their underlying cause – if I made pie more often it almost certainly would have been obvious where there were some areas for improvement before I actually baked it.

Deep Dish Apple Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Sort of. I needed a food processor, dry and liquid measuring cups, a butter knife and plastic wrap for the dough. For the filling I added a large bowl, chef’s knife, peeler, microplane zester, large cutting board, and wooden spoon to the mix. And, of course a pie plate. Parchment paper and a baking sheet will help with clean up.

The Verdict:
I made Deep Dish Apple Pie for a New Year’s Eve dinner with friends. Since we’re on the same page about trying new recipes, I knew it was okay to bring something I’d never made before. I hate to sound ungrateful by complaining about apple pie, but I’m not sure that this one quite hit the mark. The crust was good, but the filling was overly tart – too much lemon with not enough sugar balancing it out.  As result it was great with vanilla ice cream, but on it’s own…. In the end, I’m not sure that I’d make this particular version again, but it’s definitely not going to stop me from trying to find the perfect recipe or developing one of my own. That just means more PIE!

Deep Dish Apple Pie | Image: Laura Messersmith

Scouting: Food52 Holiday Market

Erin McDowell's Dessert Creations | Image: Laura Messersmith

When I’m looking for guidance on a recipe or cooking technique (and Ina isn’t available to help with her words of wisdom) I check out Food52 to see what their experts have to say. So I was excited when I found out that the site was organizing a holiday pop-up shop downtown complete with demos and classes to help home cooks step up their game for holiday entertaining.

As soon as I saw the list of offerings I knew immediately that I wanted to sign up for a session called “Make Your Desserts Beautiful” with Erin McDowell a food stylist and test kitchen manager for Food52.

Erin in Action | Image: Laura Messersmith

Check out this description – doesn’t it sound amazing?

"Fancy cakes and pies aren't just for bakeries. Erin McDowell will teach you foolproof ways to make intricate pie crusts and decorative cakes. She'll demo tips for braided pie edges, the perfect crimped crust, the classic swirled cake icing, and more."

Classic Crimped Edge Pie Crust | Image: Laura Messersmith

Classic Lattice Pie Crust | Image: Laura Messersmith

I went full-on honor society, showing up early, sitting right in front, asking 1,000 questions, and Erin could not have been lovelier or more approachable. She showed us her tricks of the trade for frosting and decorating cakes beautifully, proper technique for rolling out pie dough, and how to do fancy things like cut out top crust. She also introduced us to a brilliant creation of her own devising called the “fattis” aka a fat lattice crust (photo evidence below.)

The Fattis (aka Fat Lattice) Pie Crust | Image: Laura Messersmith

I probably should have taken better notes, but thankfully Erin has several pie specific how-to articles on Food52 in case I need to jog my memory. I left feeling so jazzed about making pie and finally conquering a food group that’s always intimidated me. I’d sign up for this class again in a heartbeat, so while I wait for Erin to open up her own pastry school it’s going to be pie central around these parts while I practice these new skills. Step 1: try the All Buttah Pie Dough. Consider yourself warned.