Reduntant Pie Crust

[launderess]

Lard

There's another thing hard to find around here as well. Oh you can get that awful stuff from Armour and others sold in supermarkets, but it is not the same as good leaf lard.

Thing is one has to seek out small independent butchers or organic meat markets, but with demand high they've gotten wise and began upping prices for something once almost given away.

While lard makes great pie/pastry crusts find it best not to provoke any "ewwwwww" responses by just saying one's crusts are made with "shortening". *LOL*

 

[miele_ge]

what a pretty pie

what's not to love about pie... will have to dig out my rolling pin this weekend!

 

[abcomatic]

Kelly

I had company today for dinner and I made a lemon pie. I used your receipe for a pre-baked pie crust. MMM, it was great! Thanks for the receipe; I even used my 1949 Sunbeam mixer. I usually use an oil crust but it doesn't do well when trying to make a pre-baked shell due to a lot of shrinkage. I can't wait to try this on a two crust apple pie. Thanks again. Gary

 

[franksdad]

Hans...Please excuse me!!!!

I'm so sorry.  I wish I had thought before I opened my big mouth the other day.  I honestly thought Red Band flour was still being sold around here.  I remember seeing it sold in the stores but since I've been buying White Lilly flour for 30+ years now I can't remember the last time I've bought a bag of Red Band flour...just thought it would be in Greenville stores forever.  This led to a research project this weekend.  As I bought groceries at Publix Saturday I noticed no Red Band flour.  I asked the store manager who said they have not carried Red Band flour in "a while" and attempts to special order Red Band flour have not been successful.  I stopped by Wal-Mart to buy charcoal and strolled the flour and baking goods aisle and found no Red Band flour.  On the way home I stopped by Ingle's Market and found no Red Band flour.  I spoke with the store manager there who said one day the manifest came from Asheville, NC with Red Band flour crossed out and King Arthur Flour added as the replacement.  He said they have not received any Red Band flour since.  This morning I stopped at the Super Bi-Lo and spoke with the store manager who told me JM Smucker bought out Red Band several years ago.  He said he hated that as he still has customers who request Red Band flour all the time.  When I got to work I Googled Red Band flour and read where J M Smucker did buy Red Band flour out in 2004 and killed the brand in 2009 according to Ms. Katleen Purvis of The Charlotte Observer, Wednesday, April 29, 2009.  I honestly did not realize Red Band flour was gone.  My offer to send you some Red Band flour was a sincere offer of good will and I would have been glad to have done so.  I guess I'm a little wiser and a little humbler now!  FYI, though, from the reviews I read, many of the bakers seemed to like the Aldi and Trader Joe's flours.  My wife I and have enjoyed everything we have bought from both stores.  We've bought brownie, muffin, and cake mixes but not flour.  One of my wife's co-workers bakes her own bread and my wife said she loves the King Arthur flour and suggests we try some in our bread maker.  Do you have an Aldi or Trader Joe's anywhere near you?  

 

[norgeway]

Thats Ok!

I have found one brand that Ingles sells that works well, Yeltons does about as well as the Virginias Best I have been buying!

 

[mixfinder]

Chemist at Work

There is a pie crust recipe with vinegar and egg. Vinegar or any acid reduces the formation of gluten which makes pie crust difficult to roll. Egg added to the dough makes the crust more resistant to absorbing moisture so the crust tends to be more crisp and flaky.

 

[foraloysius]

Vinegar

What is the advantage of adding vinegar?

 

[launderess]

According To Bernard Clayton, Jr

In his book "The Complete Book of Pastry, Sweet and Savory"

Acids in the form of vinegar, lemon juice and cream of tartar all mellow the gluten in flour when used in pastry making. This allows the dough to dough to relax faster and thus not pull back as much when rolled out.

 

[foraloysius]

Thanks!!

 

[norgeway]

Vinegar and egg!..Here is my Grandmothers recipe.

She was the best I ever saw making pastry,This is wonderful, but it is hard to handle! tender tender tender!
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Sift the above,cut in 1 1/4 cups Crisco.
Beat together and add,
1 egg
1 TBSP cold water
1 TBSP vinegar.
I have seen my Grandmother, Mrs Eva Powell, 1902-1988,roll out a sheet of this as big as a 9x13 pan, pick it up and fit it to the pan...and never tear it, I cant even get it in a 9 inch round pan !! I have to roll it on the rolling pin then unroll it in the pan, but it is the flakiest best tasting pastry you ever saw!
In the old days, she used lard, because they killed hogs every year.