The Face Only a Mother Could Love but hey, NO Soggy Bottom!

In looking for a good word to describe the pie I made for Christmas dinner, I loved the sound of the word fugly. It was short, to the point, and was a catchy one-word descriptor. When I looked into it further and realized what it was short for, I just couldn’t use it. Oh dear! I spent entirely too much time attempting to find the perfect replacement when I realized my pie had the ‘face only a mother could love.’ It was patched up and the bottom barely came up the sides enough to crimp. It was a mess, hence the descriptor. 

 

Last year my mom showed me how to make her pie crust. As I have mentioned in Hot Hands Make Not a Good Pastry Chef, and A Pumpkin Pie Day, me and butter-based delicate pastry do not get along well. I have hot hands and lack experience. I have tried to make pie crust three times and have never succeeded. This was the first baby that made it from pie crust to oven. It was ugly but it made it. It was my 2015 baking accomplishment. In the end the crust was flakey right on top but slightly tough. The filling however was good and no soggy bottom! Paul and Mary would have been proud at least on that score. If you enjoy baking and haven’t seen The Great British Baking Show you must. I love it because it’s informative and relaxing. The contestants are pleasant and kind. It isn’t stressful and backstabbing like the majority of our rubbish American reality food shows. Anywho that’s all for my across the pond plug but seriously watch it! 
Even though my pie had the face only a mother could love, and even though the crust was a little tough, I was happy because it was more experience and it made me think of my mum. I hadn’t tried making a pie at Thanksgiving, in fact I forgot dessert all together! It was terrible. I didn’t even have homemade ice cream in the freezer! The ice cream lady didn’t have backup! Because of this wretched faux pas I was determined to have dessert with Christmas dinner. And not just any dessert – pie.

 

My husband and I put our girls down for bed and dove in. It was a nice end to Christmas day but we didn’t stop there. We had it for breakfast the next day too! Fruit pies and pumpkin pies are the best for breakfast, especially with a cup of coffee. Wouldn’t you agree?

  

Have you had any ‘face only a mother could love’ moments? I would love to hear them. Remember, just because the result is not aesthetically magnificent doesn’t mean it’s a failure. If anything it’s more experience notched in the belt. Let’s keep at it.  

Happy pie making! 

*Note: And yes you read correctly this was our Christmas pie. I thought about changing references and such so that you weren’t reading about Christmas in April but that wouldn’t have been honest. I’m simply sluggish in keeping up. So just picture the white Christmas you probably had and I will mourn our lack of snow, and we can make fruit pies together. . . In April! 

Happy Spring Baking Y’all!