Every now and then, I get a "spark," something that lights me up like a firework.  What about you?  

This week it was discovering tht a lily was blooming in a flower pot that was several years old, one that had been set aside.  And then...boom!  A bright orange lily spread it's blossom out there to the sun, claiming it's place.  

I get to claim a place tomorrow.  I am basically an introvert, barely able to post on this site, but now I'm going to be like the lily and just put myself out there.  After all these years of winning ribbons at the NM State Fair Pie Contest, tomorrow I get to be the judge for our community's pie contest.  For a change, I get to be the one with authority and something to say.  This shy girl is going to have some fun!  I expect it to be a "spark" event.

Tell me about you.  What sparks you?  I'll pick a couple of stories out of those sent in to repost here in a week.  Let me know by July 15th.  Write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Oh, and if you're looking for a 4th of July pie, try this one!  Blissful Blueberry at: https://piepals.com/recipes/all-pies/item/blissful-blueberry-pie?highlight=WyJibHVlYmVycnkiLCJwaWUiLCJwaWUncyIsImJsdWViZXJyeSBwaWUiXQ==

Yeah, I know.  Lots of folks think that pie day is “Pi Day,” March 14^th (3.14).  It’s not.  National Pie Day is actually January 23^rd (as per the National Pie Council).

It’s good that kids are learning all about pi, the constant ratio of the circumference of any circle to its diameter.  But come on.  Unless we’re trying to figure out the area of an actual pie, it begs the question of why celebrate “pi day”?  OK, it’s another excuse for pie.

And, now that we’ve settled that the real pie “pie day” is coming up on the 23^rd, how will you celebrate National Pie Day?  Make a pie for your family with frozen cherries from last summer?  Buy an apple pie at the bakery?  Take a lemon meringue one to someone you love and enjoy it together?  Deliver a chocolate pie to someone who’s an under-appreciated person who’s making your community better or someone under the weather?  Maybe make a pecan one just for you because you love pie and you love yourself?

Warm yourself and someone else with a circle of love: a pie!

Love, happy, cancer, and pie

I’m giving myself more permission to just feel happy any old time.  Why?  Feeling happy is a sign of self-love -- really letting oneself feel the glow that registers as “happy.” 

We’re well past all of the Hallmark hoopla that was Valentine’s Day, when we’re all supposed to be focused on that romantic love that mostly doesn’t exist in the real world, in our real lives.  Don’t get me wrong.  I cry at weddings.  Romantic love has its place and I dearly love my partner of 27 years.  Our wedding day was one of the five best days of my life.  But Valentine’s is about the lacy hearts and red roses and chocolates version of love, the kind that Hallmark and Godiva sell us, not the I’m-with-you-through-it-all kind.

So now, let’s talk about one of the other kinds of love: self-love.  It is underrated most of the time. 

What is self-love and where does it fit it?  First, what it’s not.  It’s not about ego, the part of self that protects us, the part of self that manages our interactions with others and the things of the world.  Ego is good and necessary, but not a source of self-love. (Even though it can falsely lead us to believe that a new car or new clothes or a new job are sources of self-love.). Self-love is not about selfishness, egocentrism, or narcissism.

I think self-love is about tuning in to your own spirit, which exists largely within your own heart.  It’s quiet.  It’s gentle.  It’s the intuitive voice. It helps us accept our faulty human selves and make the choice to practice kindness towards oneself anyway. Self-love is about letting your spirit love your humanness.  It’s about just you and you.

I learned about this when I had cancer.  That was when I knelt at the altar of my own mortality and learned to not only ask for what I wanted, but to listen, really listen, for what my spirit wanted me to know.  And it was clear:  Start tuning in.  That was it.  I was to start listening to my own intuition about how to take care of this body, this human self.

I did that.  It wasn’t hard, either.  But it was different.  I “moved the needle” just a bit towards loving my body and honoring my own needs.  I still had a job, a family, a partner, a home, friends, all the things that kept me looking outward.  But I learned to let my attention go to what my inner voice said would be good for me.  And that became my intention.  That is really what changed: my intention.

What does that look like?  Actually going for a brisk walk nearly every day.  Pausing to take the spirulina that I was told in a dream to take as I hurried by it, instead of telling myself, “I’ll get back to that later.”  For 12 years, I’ve also taken the mushroom formula recommended by my acupuncturist.  [I dislike mushrooms, generally, but take this twice a day.] I choose to stay at a healthy weight and to do little things, like take an Epsom salt bath when I’m tired and achy.  I now experience self-love in other, non-physical ways, too, like by meditating, learning a new skill set, and giving myself the tools to help make those efforts successful.  Sometimes, I respectfully decline a social offer when I really want some quiet time.

And, now and then, I bake a really good pie and share it with friends, enjoying every little bite.  Because it makes me happy, and happy is a sign of self-love. 

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

Pride is a tricky thing.  It runs the spectrum from hubris (excessive self-confidence, arrogance) to a humble contentment with one's choices and actions.  Many of us, especially women, have been taught to not exhibit pride in any form:  certainly not the first kind, as in bragging, but also always to be humble, to be modest, to minimize our accomplishments, or at least to not celebrate them publicly.

I feel quiet contentment and inward joy every time I happen to notice my license plate.  Why?  As a digital immigrant, running a web site and writing a newsletter and blog are still a slight challenge for me, one that requires me to remind myself, “I can do this.”  And then next, I have to launch into whatever it is and do it.  It takes some grit and commitment -- and humility about being on the learning curve!  

And, when it’s done, I totally get a kick out of it.

What is it in your life that requires the occasional – or frequent – “I can do this”?  Perhaps it’s parenting or going to school or a job that’s a challenge – or all three on the same day.  Or maybe it’s dealing with a physical or emotional challenge.  Maybe it’s learning a new sport or being patient or remembering to be compassionate with jerks.

Pie Pals is the result of setting an intention 7 years ago and sticking to it.  It’s been a bunch of work and money and time.

And so now, I’m tickled with the results.  This license plate, as silly and as small a thing as it is, reminds me that I’m tickled.  It feels deliciously fun!

If you, dear one reading this, feel like sharing something you’ve accomplished, anything about which you’re proud, please write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I’ll correspond with you.  Maybe you’d like to share your story?  We can talk about that.  In the meantime, keep setting your intentions and letting the universe guide you to contentment and joy.

Cheers, Rebecca

We'll be celebrating this Sunday, March 11th.

OK, it's not exactly  3.14 (March 14th), the way pi starts, but it's close enough!  Especially since getting together on a Sunday for pie is easier than getting together on a Wednesday.So, this Sunday, March 14th, be sure to do SOMETHING that's pi-related.  Check out the option shown in the picture!If you're in Albuquerque, come by N'MPower between 1 and 3 this Sunday.  It's a fundraiser for SAGE Albuquerque, and you'll be able to enjoy pie by the slice or, if you're lucky, you'll win the pie walk and go home with a whole pie.  Bring friends and the kids!And I'll be doing a demo.  Bonus!

Back in pie mode

Do you ever go through phases when you don’t do something, even though you love it and want to do it and think it would be great to do it but you just don’t do it?  It’s been that way for me most of this year around something I love to do:  making pie.  I hadn’t really made one in months.  I just wasn’t in pie mode.

Why?  Can’t say for sure except that something in me said:  not now.  Wait.  

I think it’s OK to put things on the back burner sometimes, to let priorities shift around the multiple things for which we are responsible or to which we are connected.  For me, the main thing is to stay clear about the reasons things are shifting:  to be clear about the emotional and other factors operating.

Looking back, I can see that the primary force in my life this spring was the fact that I was preparing for retirement.  I’ve been working for 45 years.  Mostly I’ve worked for either myself or for social-profit organizations (formerly called non-profits) on behalf of health and social justice issues.  I’ve never made much money and haven’t saved enough for retirement.  

So, retirement feels like a huge stretch, one I’m not entirely ready for but one that I’m embracing.  It’s taken a lot of energy to finish up my most recent contract with the NM State Dept. of Health.  It’s taken energy to reconstruct my self-image, to start this next phase of life as an open book waiting to be written.

What does this mean for you?  You can expect more from me now:  more pie ideas, more tips and tricks, more fun.  And I’m going to start “teaching pie” one of these days.  Watch for that!  Maybe someone you know would love to come to the Land of Enchantment for pie camp.  Now that’s “pie mode!”

If you're in the Albuquerque area, here's your chance for a pie blowout.  It's a fundraiser for SAGE* and there will be all kinds of delicious pie for sale by the slice ~ or take your chance on willing a whole, homemade pie by participating in the pie walk!  Mmmm, will it be apple?  Pecan?  Chocolate?  Blueberry?  Lemon?  Mocha Cream? 

Best of all, you can donate a pie you made.  It's a good cause and every baker who brings a pie to donate will receive a "Pie Pals" refrigerator magnet to keep you inspired.  Please try to deliver your pie no later than 12:45.

When:  Sunday, March 12 (as close as we could get to actual "pi day," which is 3.14).  Location:  Pie Paloosa at the N'MPower Center, 136 Washington SE, Ste. E, Albuquerque, NM 87106.  Time:  Starts at 1:00 p.m.  Come early for the best selection!  Event ends at 3:00, and all pie must go!

*Pie Palooza benefits SAGE Albuquerque and their efforts to support LGBT elders. They provide training to senior service organizations on the unique challenges for older LGBT adults and they have ramped up efforts to create many more social opportunities for the older LGBT community.  They offer 4 different monthly gatherings and are creating more events of interest all the time.

Well-intentioned resolutions:  We all know them, remember them from earlier Januarys.  Like neighbors you never really liked but who live nearby, unfulfilled resolutions keep showing up.  Sometimes those noisy old resolutions even party together into the night, keeping you awake. 

Usually, we want to look better, feel better, do better.  We want to be better. 

But beware "pie crust promises."  Guess who said those words?  Mary Poppins, the movie nanny who flies with her umbrella, guiding the young children under her care.  Julie Andrews played Mary Poppins in the old movie with Dick Van Dyke, where they created a world of belief and magic.  The family she comes to help is dysfunctional in Part 1, with the father figure working too much and ignoring his family, especially the children.  In Part 2, Mary imparts wisdom along with playful imagination, and in Part 3, healing occurs and the dad comes around to value his children.  Then Mary Poppins flies off.

So how are New Year's resolutions like pie crust promises?  As Mary said, they are, “Easily made.  Easily broken.” 

It's true that we only get to be humans on the planet when we have a body with which to do that.  Going back to the idea of resolutions, then, "being better" for me this year is about just gently (so as not to break it) agreeing with my Self that I'm going to love this body better.  I'm going to listen more to what it needs and wants and less to what my mind says “I” need and want.  

So, I know that my body loves:

• sleeping for 8 or 8 1/2 hours almost every night.  I can do that.
• sinking into warm water and drinking lots of clean water.  I can do that.
• getting low-impact aerobic exercise almost every day.  I can do that
• sipping the green juice from Trader Joe's that I thin out a little with sparkling water.  I can do that.
• releasing stress and embracing creativity through meditation.  I can do that. 

And my mouth loves good pie, of course!  And sometimes my mind likes a glass of cool, dry champagne.  I can do those, too.   That’s all part of being human. 

This year, I'm being careful about promises to myself.  I'm only making ones that are positive and loving, ones that are easy to keep and less likely to be broken.  Then I know I will look, feel, do better.  

Join me?  Let's be better, together!

I'll be your pal,

Rebecca

The biggest apple ever?  I think so!  It more than fills my extended hand.  It's a doozy, anyway, and it makes me happy.

OK, of course New York City is the other big apple.  But this isn't about cities, it's about ranches and really big apples.

Where do your apples come from?  Seriously, where do they originate?  For that matter, who's tending the soil that grows any of the plants that you eat?  Where do those people live? 

My food people live all over the world.  Coffee from one place, grains from another, turkeys from somewhere else.  We all know it's pretty global when it comes to food these days.  Many of us are making an effort to pay attention to fair trade and organic and other values when we can.  I hereby acknowledge that paying attention to those things represents a level of privilege than many people do not have.

Because of the secondary costs of shipping food -- like apples -- around the world, it is worth thinking about our food choices and from whom and where they come.  We humans are connected and it does matter.  When apples come from New Zealand or blue berries come from South America, the pollution from that air or sea transport adds up and becomes a cost that the Earth bears.   

I’m no angel about all of this.  The berries I buy in winter don’t come from around here (the Southwest U.S.).  But I do make an effort to buy food grown or produced in the United States and even more locally when I can. 

That’s why I have to give a shout-out to this apple.  It came to me as a gift from a friend, Jeannie, who lives on a ranch in Northern New Mexico, a ranch that has apple trees at least 100 years old.  This apple, she promised, was perfect for pie.  There are many varieties of apples on that old ranch, names unknown, but they can be pegged for what they’re good for:  pie, fresh eating, or applesauce.   And Jeannie was right:  this apple is perfect for pie.

She gave me a whole, full bag of these apples:  what a beautiful bounty.  The actual big apple pictured above is going into my Red Hot Apple Pie this Thanksgiving.  I’m looking forward to sharing this new favorite recipe made with perfect pie apples.

In this season of thanks, my gratitude is especially for such a gift, such a reminder that the best can come from close by, that good apples made into a good pie can be the very essence of the season:  kindness, warmth, and home, shared with those we love.   

Whatever your version of a perfect big apple is this season, I hope you find it and celebrate it!  And, thanks for sharing, Jeannie!

Things don’t always go as planned, right?  Normally, when we have visitors I make them a pie.  Not this time.

I meant to make our recent guests a pie.  They arrived from Australia with the intention of visiting here in Albuquerque, then seeing more friends in Denver and Portland, finishing up in San Francisco before flying home again from Los Angeles.  Nice trip!  It was their first visit here and I was ready to show them around New Mexico, wine and dine them a bit, even serving up a “blue ribbon” pie.

As things unfolded, I was made aware again that we aren’t in charge of much and that it’s good to allow for mystery. [More than the mystery of how to succeed with meringue!]  The usual jet lag and dehydration seemed to take their toll on our gentleman friend, and his wife and Havens and I thought he’d recover after a good night’s sleep and plenty of water.  Instead, his health continued to fade.

Of course our attention turned to his care.  Plans for touring were cancelled, meals were had quietly, the great scotch we’d intended to share over laughs was shelved, and concern grew.  Eventually he ended up in the hospital, then hospice.  He died there are few days ago.

I share this with you because it has been a wonderful experience.  That may sound surprising, and it is even to me.  The truth is, we have found a sense of wonder and peacefulness about this process, as challenging as it has been.  It has allowed us to give from the heart, to stay in the present, to “hold space for what is,” and to expand with a sense of knowing that, somehow, everything was turning out as it was meant to.  We have embraced the mystery and found love everywhere we looked.

There’s a sweetness to this that goes way beyond pie. 

Blessings and love, Rebecca

“It Is What It Is”

Seems like it must have been good.  Here they are, Jon & Don, licking their pie plates.

A recent trip to visit Pie Pal friends, Kristin and Jon, took us to their cabin in southern Chile.  Their friends Don and JoAnne (from Montana) are building a home nearby.  With all of us being there together, the occasion called for pie.  Three pies, in fact, in 3 weeks:  blueberry, apple, blueberry, each one adapted to fit the circumstances and ingredients available. 

That’s one of the things I’ve learned over time:  the value of being flexible and adapting.  Being a rather fixed person (my partner might kindly call me strong-willed), it’s been a challenge for me to let go of my own expectations for how things should be.  This “how things should be” framework has two sides:  caring enough to do a really good job on whatever it is, like making a perfect pie for the state fair pie contest, and knowing when to be more in the moment with what is and what is possible and what is good enough.  Sometimes, as Kristin says, “It is what it is.”

How has this change in myself – this willingness to be more in the flow – come about?  Self-compassion.  This self-compassion is about a willingness to see life through kinder eyes, to see myself through kinder eyes: to love this simply human self.  It is about accepting whatever is going on in the moment, taking time to breathe and enjoy this life as it is.

That’s the thing:  It is what it is.  In the moment, we can’t change what is, we can only see it – see the situation, see ourselves, see others – honestly, with compassion, with love, and then go on from there. 

So, 3 pies in 3 weeks: baking in unfamiliar kitchens with stoves that measured heat in Celsius rather than Fahrenheit, making do with the tools on hand [Yikes!  No pie server!], and using the ingredients that were available there, tucked way back in the Andes.  One pie (blueberry #1) was made with my preferred thickening agent brought along with me from home; the apple pie was made with fresh, local green apples piled high (it was Fall there!); and finally, the pastry dough for the last one (blueberry #2) was rolled out in Santiago with a wine bottle (in the absence of a rolling pin).  It was a wonderful feeling to be open creatively and to have the experience of going with what was there.

Here’s to making pie with what’s available, putting love into it, sharing it with new & old friends, and expanding compassion for ourselves and others.  And thank you for reminding me, Kristin!

“I need to make pie!”

My neighbor friend told me over the wall that her uncle’s wife is dying, and her uncle feels lost.  “I need to make pie!” he had exclaimed.  His heart is breaking, and he needs to make pie.

What is it about making pie that grounds us, gets us quiet and centered, back at peace with the world, even if just for a few minutes?  Is it the fact of doing something with our hands?  Or making space to do something creative?  Maybe it’s because it’s a solitary activity, one done without a lot of other people?  Perhaps any solitary, creative activity would serve.  Probably so. 

Whatever your reason for needing to make pie – or to eat it – here’s as good as any:  Friday, January 23, is National Pie Day.  It’s official!  Go for it.  Make a pie, buy a pie, but share pie on Friday!  Teach someone else, if you can.  Take a pie to your favorite nonprofit agency for the staff to enjoy, or to the fire station, or to your book club.  Take one to your neighbors.  You’ll be making people very happy and, hey, does it get better than that?

Personally, I’ll be taking pie to my women’s group.  Doesn’t matter where – just know that if you share pie, the world will be a little sweeter, and hearts will be a little happier, even if just for a little while.  Even hearts that are breaking with the loss of a loved one.  May we always be united by love and, if we’re lucky, pie.

Warmly, Rebecca

P.S.  Want ideas for pies to make during winter months?  Check out:  www.piepals.com

People – Pie Pals, specifically – have been asking, “What happened?!” 

Let’s get to the juicy details!

New challenges emerged this year.  There were 17 categories, up from the previous 16.  The Home Arts Division decided that they would eliminate “Dutch Apple” (it was rolled into the “Nontraditional Apple” category) and they added “No Sugar” and “Citrus.”  Hmmmph!  Here I thought I’d won all of the categories (which I had until they changed things) and could just bake for fun.

I worked and worked on creating a great sugar-free pie.  I’m not willing to use those weird artificial sweeteners that often have a bitter after taste, so I focused on more natural ways to make things sweet. First it was the “Nutty Buddy” Pie, based on frozen bananas whirled with unsweetened chocolate, frozen, and topped with chopped peanuts.  Analysis:  terrible texture (icy, frozen shards).  Then it was on to the “Sweet Potato Sweetie Pie,” which used apple juice boiled down to a thick syrup as the sweetener.  I was looking for a soft, custard-like texture and, instead, got what would gag a dog (if I had one).  As one of my favorite pie testers, Jon, said with such understatement, “This doesn’t measure up.”

Ha!  The final entry was an apple pie, double crust, sweetened with raisins and condensed apple cider.  It was quite lovely, thick with apples and raisins, and I really liked the flavor – probably because I’ve cut down on sugar so much in the last few years.  The judge, however, said she was a little confused by the flavor – maybe too much cinnamon?  And she didn’t get that the raisins had been soaked in rum. 

  So…it didn’t win a ribbon.  But you know what?  I enjoyed it for the next several days!

Meanwhile, they were judging the peach pie category which had an unusually large number of entries this year.  Guess who won?  A Pie Pal, Havens!    Here’s a picture of her gorgeous lattice-top peach pie, and you can find the recipe ("Stars & Moon Peach Pie) on www.piepals.com

Then they judged the nontraditional apple pies.  And guess who won again?  Pie Pal Havens!  I’ll ask her to post on the web site the recipe she used for her winning Dutch applie pie along with a picture.

Finally, they got around to judging the “Fruit Pie” category.  It catches everything that doesn’t fit in one of the other fruit groupings.  That’s where I entered my raspberry chocolate creation.  And I say creation because this is a recipe I made up 25 years ago.  That was the first blue ribbon pie I ever made! 

It’s a labor of love, for sure.  The crisp crust holds a thin layer of chocolate buttercream (like dark chocolate butter frosting), then there is a double layer of fresh raspberries covered by a lush, scarlet-red raspberry glaze.  Small chocolate cream swirls around the inside edge of the crust made it all come together. 

So the two judges tasted a sliver of the raspberry pie and also someone’s pineapple pie and all of the others in this category.  As usual, I watched to see if their expressions gave away their impressions.  They did not.  I tried to remember to breathe.  They lifted each of the slices to check the bottom and see if the crust was properly browned.  They pinched off bits of crust to check for flavor and flakiness.  They tasted the fillings each one more time. 

Finally it was time to announce the winners in this category.  One judge took the microphone and started, “Third place goes to…” while the other judge lifted my pie.  My heart sank.  “No, not that one!” the announcer corrected.  Whew.  They discussed and displayed the third place and second place winners.  And then judge #2 held up my pie while judge #1 pronounced it to be “perfection.”  Yay!  A blue ribbon in the “Fruit Pie” category!  I could breathe again.

Near the end of the pie contest, all of the blue ribbon pies (one from each of the 17 categories) compete against each other for “Best of Show.”  All 6 of the judges circle up and compare notes on their favorites among those 17 pies.  They go back and forth, a little more tasting, a lot of kibitzing, and finally one of them takes the mic again.  Guess what?  They agreed on the raspberry pie!! 

So, there you go.  Well, actually, there we went.  We, friends and I, took the remainder of that pie outside and ate it up.  We sat at a shady picnic table on a sunny September afternoon, forks, little plates and bottles of cold water at the ready.  We also ate up most of the peach pie and the Dutch apple and some of the sugar-free apple.  Does life get any better than moments like this? 

Special thanks to Havens, Jon, Patty and Carla for making the day even sweeter than the pie.

Cheers & love from Rebecca, your Pie Pal

P.S.  The recipe will be posted soon under Scarlet Raspberry Pie.

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.