Sometimes we have high hopes:  We see things going our way, see ourselves being successful and having fun.  We hold thoughts of what could happen that would be really cool.  The hopes may be a little out there, really high, but we hope anyway!  Why not?

Check out this “pie in the sky” slice.  I had very high hopes for this pie.  People often ask me what my favorite pie is and, without hesitation, I always answer “fresh peach.”  Oh, those ripe, flavorful peaches, dripping with sweet juices, all wrapped in flaky pastry, baked into round deliciousness.

Serenading some peaches recently, I was attempting to seduce them into a perfect pie as I peeled and sliced them with love and anticipation.  They were ripe. They smelled good!  They had good texture.  Yay!  The crust came together easily.  I even made a lattice crust, which I think is perfect because it lets you see the juices bubbling and the pretty blush color of the peaches.  First peach pie of the season.  I could hardly wait.

Ever have times like that -- where you are happy with the doing, with the expected outcome, with yourself?  Fun in the present moment with an eye on what’s ahead.

Well, then, you also know how things turn out sometimes:  not at all like you expected.  As so it was with this.  It looked inviting, complete with tiny pockets of peach juice sweetened and thickened, peeking through the lattice as expected.  The underside was golden brown.  I let it cool, waiting for the moment when I could finally have some with a little cup of espresso.  It was awful. 

What happened?  This is “gakky,” my inner critic said.  Too much tapioca and sugar, I am sure.  But the main thing was that the peaches had so little flavor. That was the deal-breaker.  I nearly cried with disappointment as I put most of it down the garbage disposal, not even sharing it with trusted pie tasters nearby.

What’s up with fruit these days?  Am I the only one consistently frustrated by the lack of flavor in store-bought fruit?  It’s starting to get depressing.  And I’m not just talking about everyday big grocery stores.  The same tastelessness applies to fruit from most high-end grocery stores as well, with the exception of some produce from the co-op.  But that’s really expensive, even for those of us dedicated to spending more of our shopping dollars at locally owned stores that pay their employees living wages and that provide high quality food.

Well, I’ve renewed my commitment to shopping for fruit at the farmers’ markets in town, even though I am so NOT a morning person and you have to get there early for the best selections.  I’ll go for the peaches, raspberries, apricots and rhubarb.  I’ll go for the zucchini, too, and the greens and peppers.  Kale?  Not so much.  But whatever I get there, it’s got to be better than whatever was shipped 900 miles or more to get here.  If I only get to make one really good peach pie per year, using peaches from a nearby backyard or farm, then so it is.

I’m keeping my “pie in the sky” hopes.  I’m willing to try and have things not turn out the way I’d hoped, and then try again another time with a new version.  We all need hope! 

Keep baking, friends, and share your current version of good summer pie here http://www.piepals.com/my-account/submit-recipe .  Because we all need good pie, really good pie.

A happy anxiety rises in the air as the judging begins.  Folding chairs squeak and restless movement settles into a collective forward lean.  Attention turns to the former university president’s wife, who is holding the mic and who has been running the show, at least at home, for years.

“Welcome to the 2013 State Fair Pie Contest!  Today we have16 categories of pies, and 61 pies altogether. They look just beautiful and so delicious!”

Contestants and their friends are impatient for the judging.  Four judges work, each one taking one type of pie at a time: first the apple pies, then blueberry, then cherry.  Next come the peach, peanut, pumpkin, and pecan.  Finally the “other fruits” -- an interesting and diverse bunch, including pears, plums, and luscious apricot hand pies – plus the chocolate and tart entries.

The judges take their time, and ours, considering the pies.  They check the bottom to see if it’s cooked enough (“No soggy bottoms!”), see how it cuts and holds together, taste the crust, taste the filling, taste the crusts again, all while keeping a poker face.  They really do give attention to each pie or tart, noting the strengths and weaknesses, and labor over deciding which ones to honor.

In each case, a third, second and first place ribbon are awarded and winners announced.  The best part of the whole thing – well maybe the 2^nd best – is how everyone applauds one another.  It’s the most generous audience you’ve ever seen.

And the delight, oh, the joy, of winning!  Sandy, one of the community of pie bakers who’s been entering for years, won “Best of Show.”  You should have seen the bright sparkle in her eyes when it was announced that her tart won!  She was one happy camper, and everyone there was happy with her.

And the best part?  Eating pie with friends afterwards. Pie, pie, pie everywhere!

I’m going to ask some of the Pie Pals who were present at the pie contest here to share their ribbons and recipes, so watch for more in the next few days. 

I’ve posted my two blue-ribbon recipes, for peach and rhubarb-raspberry pies.  Please help yourself!

Cheers, Rebecca

What are you dreaming up lately?

Our creative juices:  peachy!  OK, that’s corny, and it’s true.  Sweet juices dripping from ripe peaches are part of what make a peach pie so good.  But how about your personal creative juices?  What makes them flow for you? 

We’re all gifted in something.  Each of us has things we love to do that are creative – from gardening in your own yard to organizing a community garden, or raising healthy children,  writing poetry, teaching at the community college, making a pie from scratch, playing an instrument, leading productive meetings, being an athlete, or making a video.  Our gifts are whatever absorbs us, takes our complete attention for a while, makes us feel alive and successful – regardless of what anyone else says about what we’re doing.

What situations encourage you to be creative?  What environment do you want or need to support being creative?  Please share your ideas and thoughts with the rest of us!  I’ll post what people are saying if you’ll send your version of what supports your creative juices to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Sept. 15^th.

There can be a tension around being creative, especially when we’re doing something new or when we put expectations on ourselves about the outcome. 

The truth:  I’m nervous about the pie contest, which is coming up Sept. 18^th here in NM.  It’s that time when I literally dream about pie.  The other night it was an upside-down candied orange pie.

Pie comes up when I meditate.  It comes up when I’m walking in the neighborhood. In conversation.  In a hardware store.  Yikes!  There’s no escaping the tension and attention of pie right now in my life.

And there is a fun part to all of this:  the creativity.  Ideas come popping in and they play well with one another, running this way and that, jumping and whistling to get attention, like kids with the answer, waving their hands to be called upon in class.

So, tell me what it is that grabs your attention, that wants to be created, and what supports that.  I think the world needs lots of creativity now, wrapped in fun and good humor, to see us through challenging times.  We need things that unite us, like art, gardens, music, words written and spoken, and pie.  Always pie!

Rebecca Jo Dakota

©2012

We had peach abundance last week.  You, too?  Sweet, ripe ones all over the place.  What can you do?  Make jam?  Sure.  But pie...now that's pure joy.

I used the "I'd Give the Moon and Stars" peach pie recipe and changed the top crust, creating "pinwheels" out of dough, cinnamon and sugar.*  Loved the way they looked, kind of like Ferris Wheels, which really remind me of summer.  There was one in Porland, Oregon, I got to ride recently and it was spectacular:  we went around and around as the city lights came on and the sunset twinkled pink on the river.  I was giddy!

Try your hand at making this pie.  As always, it's not how it looks that  matters.  It's how it makes you feel.

Hope you're feeling peachy keen!  Your Pie Pal, Rebecca

*Just roll the dough out into more of a square.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and roll it up.  Slice into 1/2" rolls and flatten them with your fingers.  Place on the unbaked pie filling and sprinkle with sugar crystals.  Voila!  Pinwheels for yor pie.