pie wrecks

I looked.  There is no complement to the Cake Wrecks website for pies.  There should be.  I could contribute regularly.  Not often, but about once a year I decide that I ought to be able to make pie crust.  My mom makes great pie crusts.  I finally blamed my tile counter tops (not flat for rolling) and quit.  Then I got a marble slab from my mother in law and I had to look for something else to blame.  I did, and I quit.  But I would be inspired for Thanksgiving, or for a quiche. And it would be a disaster.  And I'd quit.  I'd try rolling the store bought crusts a bit thinner, but it still haunted me, so I'd try again.

I watched America's Test Kitchen last week and they made a beautiful blueberry pie. Seeing that I have two gallons of blueberries here, I thought this would be perfect.  They've perfected pie crust and explained the how and the why.  The crust uses vodka in addition to water for extra moisture, to make it easier to roll out.

So, yesterday I did it.  I measured, I spilled flour, I mixed, I refrigerated, I rolled.  I squished. I added more flour.  I cried.  I called my mom.  I added more flour.  I patted.  I debated taking a photo (you know you're a blogger when....) and I re-read the shortening package.  Oh. I thought that seemed like more than 8 tablespoons.  I'd read it twice because it seemed wrong.  And it was.  I debated adding more flour, again. I scraped the blueberry goo out of the pie crust.  I threw the crust in the trash.  I cleaned up the floor.  I cleaned up the counter.  I cleaned the dishes.

I tried again today.  Full of confidence.  If I'd only had the right amount of shortening it would have worked.  The Test Kitchen works out the kinks.  It will be successful today.

Yeah, right.  Now, I do have confidence in the taste.  (If I don't burn it in my horrid oven.)  The blueberry goo looked fabulous, and can't have done anything but improve with a night in the fridge.  But the crust? 

Pie wreck.