Sunday, November 30, 2008



I made an apple pie on Saturday. It has been a long time since I have made one, at least 3 years. Now three years ago there is no way I would have used a filling out of a can. I mean really? Ew. (Although I must say, that my grandmother used to make the most amazing apple pie, using the canned filling...She also had crippling, deforming rheumatoid arthritis. It was OK for her to use it, and my mother too). So anyway, I was originally going to make it on Thanksgiving but made the peach cobbler instead. I figured I would surprise everyone on Saturday (Thanksgiving part deux) at my mother's house.

I am not quite sure when my decision to cross over to the dark side of not making the apple pie from scratch happened. I swear I don't even remember thinking about it. It just happened. It has been so long since I have seen the Wilderness brand filling. (at least 5 years, because Grandma has been gone about that long and I used to pick it up for her). I stood for what seemed WAY too long staring at the many options and wondering where the heck the filling in the plastic container (you know, the kind that cake frosting comes in) of the filling was. I couldn't find it. There were only cans. It was too overwhelming. I was sure I was buying the wrong thing.

Ok, I made the pie and it was terrible. NOTHING like grandma's. Or Mommy's. It was bland and just ick! Come to find out, Grandma and my mom always doctored it up with vanilla, cinnamon and butter....who knew!! I would have NEVER known that. I just unceremoniously opened the can (actually two cans) and poured them into the crust. Heelllooo?? Martha does not teach you those kinds of things, well maybe she has and I missed that tip. See, I grew up watching mommy and both grandmas make the pie from scratch, that was all I knew. (I am unsure about when my mother crossed the dark side...) and then of course YOU KNOW WHO came along. I mean really, she probably grows her own apples and vanilla bean for goodness sake! Why wouldn't she? She has hens and a garden...Makes sense. I don't think she would use canned filling (unless she canned it). Next time I will stick with what I know. I will make it from scratch.

1 comment:

Christina Bennett said...

Funny. I'm not much of a baker myself. My mother, grandmother and sisters can all BURN in the kitchen and sew. Me....not so much! Most kids like a nice home cooked meal, but my 19 year old daughter actualy has the nerve to groan when I say I'm cooking LOL
Thanks for offering me some good reading on this cold day. I've been snowed in for three days and going stir crazy
Happy Holiday!