Just in time to perk us up in the middle of the winter, National Pie Day is January 23.  It’s a celebration of all things pie, our most American dessert.  What will it be…warm apple pie ala mode, cherry, blueberry, lemon meringue, pecan or even peanut butter pie?  Pie Day is an opportunity to share the deliciousness.

This could be your new favorite holiday: National Pie Day.  Bake a pie, buy a pie, share a pie. 

Americans do love their pie, and National Pie Day, January 23, is the day we celebrate it.  A survey[1] of Americans reveals that our favorites are apple, lemon meringue, pecan and pumpkin, with cherry, strawberry rhubarb and chocolate rounding out the pie chart. 

Resolutions aside for the moment, who can resist a slice of good pie?  The aroma of warm apples and cinnamon melts most of into a puddle of nostalgia and desire.  The glory of a lemon pie piled high with meringue brings a twinkle to the eye of some, as does the nutty richness of a slice of chocolate pecan pie.

I say, “National Pie Day is the perfect holiday!  No pressure, no expectations, no family trips in the car, no gifts to wrap. Just pie, glorious pie.  Shared.”

I recommend these “7 Best Ways to Celebrate National Pie Day” -- or come up with your own creative way to celebrate!

• Give the gift of pie to a local "hometown hero.” Stop by and visit the staff at the shelter for survivors of domestic violence, or the local police or fire department, or school or library, and let these local heroes know that you appreciate all they do for your community.
• Make pie! Spend time with children and make a pie together. Find free pie recipes and how-to tips at www.piepals.com.  You'll make great memories and the kids will be proud to serve the pie for dessert.
• Reach out to new neighbors you might not have met yet. Say “welcome” with a pie.
• Have a pie potluck get-together. Everyone brings a pie!
• Share pie. If you make or buy a pie, share it with someone! By its very nature, pie is meant to be eaten with others:  family, friends, neighbors, even co-workers.
• Pass along pie memories so that our pie heritage doesn’t fade away. Call older members of the family and ask them for pie recipes. Ask them to teach you how to make them. Talk about your favorite pies and the family history behind them. Publish your pie memories and favorite recipes at www.piepals.com. Make pies often and serve them to the next generation.
• If pie making is not in your schedule, stop by your favorite pie shop or grocery store and bring home a gift of love and joy. The coldest of January days will be warmed by a special pie dessert.

As you may know, my motto is, “The more good pie in the world, the better. It brings us together and lets us settle down for a few peaceful minutes of shared enjoyment.”  If you’re new to pie baking or are intimidated by making the crust, she recommends checking out the Pie Pals web site, where there are tips and tricks. There’s also a “pie shop” where there are made-in-Albuquerque. aprons and a DVD on “Pie Crust 101.”

And what makes a “good” pie?  “A delicate crust, one that flakes easily and is thoroughly baked to a light brown.   The fruit should taste fresh, without too much sugar.  And there should be lots of filling, whatever that might be.  When there is that perfect balance between a flavorful filling and the slightly salty crust, that is pie heaven!” 

Homemade pie doesn’t have to be fussy or pretty.  It will be enjoyed no matter what, and the only ingredient that really matters is love.

[1] http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/dessert-recipes/whats-your-favorite-type-of-pie-81897

Pi* day is here!  It is March 14^th today (3.14), near the “Ides,” about which we’ve been warned.  Is there some warning related to the 14^th?  Heck, no.  Only that we not have too much Pi. 

What would that be, too much Pi?  Maybe being too numerical, too caught up in calculating, in figuring, in trying to plot things out, needing to have an explanation that makes perfect sense, where everything adds up and comes out as expected, according to the formula.  While math is exacting and can be beautiful – as with fractals – how much of life is precise like that?  Why do we seek that?  I think we seek that kind of left-brain calculation because we’re uncomfortable with the unknown, the fluid, with the ebb and flow of “that which is taking form” and “that which is releasing form.”  In other words, with the messy truths of life on planet Earth.  Things are always taking form and leaving form.  With every breath, we ourselves change.

Yet we try to establish truths and constants, with some hope that they will comfort us, make us feel safe, make us feel like we understand and have a measure of control. 

What significant thing in your life came out exactly as you expected?  Name one thing.

Me either.  Can’t name one thing.  And today, I find that comforting.  I’ve reached a stage in life where it’s no longer important to invest in expectations, or at least not in calculating and planning so much.  

Now, it’s more about setting intentions and then letting go of expectations about how things will actually turn out.  Now, I tend towards, say, the intention of having a good time, or of being relaxed, or of enjoying time with friends, of being healthy, of being productive or compassionate, or of creating a garden I’ll enjoy, rather than investing energy in any details about those things.  It’s so freeing this way.

Which isn’t to say that I don’t get exacting sometimes!  I do, including around pie.  There are times when measuring matters, like getting the proportions among flour, salt, Crisco and ice water just right, or making the “perfect” lattice.  It’s also true that if my intention is to put love into what I’m doing, it seems to come out well enough and meanwhile, I’m not stressing.  Yay!

So, while I’m glad there are numbers like pi (3.14………), and that some people get a kick out of them, I’m not invested in them.  I’m more interested in any excuse to make and share pie, so if it’s Pi Day, that’s good enough!

Special thanks to a true Pie Pal, Peter, who found this photo of a Pie Day pie.  May you always have good pie, dear friend.

*Pi is a special number, representing the ratio between a circle and its diameter.  It can only be expressed in an exact way through the Greek letter “Pi,” as the numbers to the right of the decimal never terminate (thus 3.14159265359…).  Can you tell my partner is a math nerd?

Photo credit: Real Science-4-Kids

There is something about a beautiful Christmas tree that evokes trust.  Regardless of one’s spiritual beliefs, there is something universal and primal about the response to such a tree.

The trust almost seems to come from the tree itself.  Trust from the past, reflecting our enduring dependency on trees for oxygen.  Trust in the present because a beautiful Christmas tree’s energy provides complete feng shui* balance and makes us feel good.  Trust in the future because their beauty reminds us to be calm, to remember our own inner light as it is reflected from the tree’s ornaments and lights.  The trees seem to remind us to seek the consciousness of love and compassion, reminding us to care for one another.

We respond with trust to something that feels so right.  The sight of a beautiful Christmas tree can transform us with a sense of connection:  to our own spirits, to each other and to the Earth.  How great is that?!

Wishing you peace and connection, and apple pie,**

Rebecca

*Christmas Tree Feng Shui:  The ancient Chinese system for seeking harmony and the gentle flow of the life force teaches us to look for the 5 elements and a balance between yin and yang in our environments.  The triangular shape of a holiday tree and the lights represent the element of fire, the tree itself represents the element wood, the scent of pine reminds us of earth, the round ornaments represent metal, and the shiny ornaments and tinsel represent water.  The dark tree is yin and the bright ornaments and lights are yang.  Perfect!

**Apple pie for the whole party – “Slab Apple Pie,” now in the Apple Pie section of PiePals.com.  It fills a whole 9x13” cake pan, so you can serve many people with one pie!  Special thanks to Pie Pal, Havens, for sharing her recipe.

Tipping Point Season?

It feels like a tipping point:  either we choose love now, being one humanity on the same globe, or we rip it all apart in fear and greed and a willing denial.

It is December 2012, and the world is in a pretty big mess:  Global warming, wars, hunger and need, tensions among people every which way.  And at the same time, people are envisioning change, intentionally creating a more global consciousness and connectedness. 

As people approach the holiday season – solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza and other celebrations – it feels different this year.  Yes, there are tremendous social and economic pressures to buy things and to spend money (especially in our American culture), to be consumers above all else.  And yet, there is also a sense of calm and peace that seems to be emerging -- some kind of quiet, like a soft down comforter or a gentle tropical breeze enveloping the atmosphere around the globe.

People are taking time to see each other, to acknowledge that we are here together, that this is a sacred place and a special time on this planet. 

Whether we buy boots for a person living on the street, like the police officer in New York City did, or take homemade cookies to someone who lost a special person in their life this year, or adopt a family to share our blessings with, I hope all of us find a way to celebrate connection this year.  As we do, we will, indeed, bring peace on Earth.

Blessings of the season to all of us, Rebecca

P.S.  Homemade pie is one of the really good ways to bring people together!

Patriotic Pie Contest

4^th of July Pie

Our national birthday is coming up, so let’s get ready to celebrate!  What’s your version of a 4^th of July Pie? 

What characteristics of America would you want to celebrate?  Our commitment to democracy?  Our 3 branches of government?  Our willingness – in the end – to embrace diversity and inclusiveness?  Our vision of freedom and liberty for all?  A particular part of America that’s special to you?  I can see a “Yellowstone Park Pie” or a “Purple Waves of Grain Pie.”  Or maybe a “Southern Summer Pie.”

Pick a theme and go for it!  Send your recipe in by June 30^th and we’ll pick one to post on the 1^st of July (so there will be time to make it for the 4^th).

Maybe you already have a favorite 4^th of July Pie – great!  Or maybe you want to make up a new one.  Either is welcome.

Criteria:

• ü  Name your pie according to the American value or place you want to celebrate
• Originality counts!
• Get it here by end of day June 30^th

For inspiration, here’s a photo from the American Pie Championship held this April.  It has 3 sections with different fruits in red, white and blue colors -- cherries, apples and blueberries – with a twist of crust separating each.  How did the baker keep the sections separate?  I don’t know but I was impressed with the design!

I think I’ll dream up a “Liberty Pie” or maybe an “Equal Rights” pie.  How about you?!?  Enter now!