Baking Skills

My burgeoning bread making skills are becoming useful in other areas. I have never been good with pies. Denise usually always made the pies. Her simple but elegant apple pie recipe is my favorite. Even when I did make a pie, I would usually start the crust and then in total disgust throw up my hands, yell and threaten to throw it away- at which point Denise would come in, salvage the crust and finish the pie.

This is mainly because my pie crusts were never perfect. Making bread has helped me overcome the need for perfection. I am learning that the "feel" of the dough is more important than anything and today, for the first time in a long time, I started and completed the crust for this apple pie. I am so proud- and not one single deleted expletive.

The clouds started rolling in this afternoon, and it is getting a little wet outside, but we are warm around the fire, with hot apple pie and vanilla ice cream to look forward to this evening.