Fall, pies and more pies

Fall is a beautiful time of year in my neck of the woods. Crisp, sunny, blue skies, warm sweaters, farmers markets on Saturday, local apples and sugar pie pumpkins. Here's a snapshot of a little day trip my hub and I took, before the snow flew.....


Fall was the time for me to begin experimenting with pies! I have been working my way through "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Berenbaum. I am a huge fan of "The Cake Bible". It has completely changed the way I bake cakes, and the results from her books are always amazing! The Pie and Pastry Bible is truly fantastic.

First up, the perfect apple pie. Her technique to perfectly cooked apples with a deliciously caramelized cinnamon-y coating is to first toss the apples with a sugar mixture, and allow them to macerate. Collecting the juice that they exude and reducing the 'apple juice sauce' on the stove allows for the concentration of the delicious apple flavour, without a worry of the pie bubbling over in the oven. Here's a shot of my apple pie before baking;


I looooove rhubarb. not only for the fact that it so rediculously easy to grow, I adore the flavour. Rhubarb strawberry crumble is my specialty, so this was my first attempt at a 'solo' rhubarb pie. The addition of lemon was perfect! I have to say, this is now one of my favourite pies. Please excuse the crumpled table cloth, haha.

My dad was in town visiting for a few weeks recently, so i just had to try one of his favourites, lemon meringue pie. WOW. You need this book.

NEED. this. book.