Time Travel Kitchen

Kate McDermott’s Pie Cottage; Also: It’s National Apple Pie Day. Who knew?

A warm welcome to new subscribers, and, as always, a big thank you to longtime readers.

And now, pie!

Wayne Thiebaud, Pies, Pies, Pies, 1961. Crocker Art Museum, gift of the artist’s family.

Glancing at news on my phone this week I noticed a story “May 13th is National Apple Pie Day” and wondered why.

I still haven’t found out, and was surprised it wasn’t a date sometime in the Fall, but figured what the heck and “celebrated” anyway.

I drew the line at the “pie crawl” suggested in the article though. Instead, I opted for simply making an old-fashioned apple pie and sharing this beautiful recipe from good friend and pie maestro, Kate McDermott. The recipe appears in her James Beard Award nominated book Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings, and Life.

You can tuck the recipe away for apple picking season — or make it now — and Kate’s perfect pie crust can be filled with whatever you like, any time of year. We’ll get to the recipe a few paragraphs down, but first: a little apple pie history and an advertisement with a recipe from the 1950’s

A Pie for All Seasons. Old-fashioned, rustic apple pie. I made the recipe from Art of the Pie Photo: Jolene

A slice of apple pie history

The first printed recipe for apple pie dates back to 1381 England and recipes for Dutch apple pies can be found as early as 1514. The apples themselves are native to Asia.

I’ve linked to this article from Smithsonian Magazine about the history of apple pie if you’d like to learn more (including the genesis of the phrase “As American as mom and apple pie”) and how, in the words of author of the piece, Kat Eschner :

“Neither apples nor the pie originally came from America, but Americans have made this dish their own.”

Here is the Link: Smithsonian Magazine

That’s some crust!

1950’s Crisco Ad. From: Click Americana

Crisco’s Country Apple Pie Recipe, 1950’s

Some bakers like to use all shortening to make pie crust, others a 50/50 butter/shortening blend and others (like me) use all butter. In Kate’s recipe you’ll have a choice of all butter or a 50/50 split using butter and leaf lard.

Kate McDermott’s Pie Cottage

Kate’s Washington State home is charmingly named “Pie Cottage.” She can hear the ferries enroute to Victoria, B.C. from her kitchen window.

Kate in her kitchen at Pie Cottage. Photo credit: Audrey Kelly

And it’s no wonder Kate makes beautiful pies and pie dough resulting in the most tender, flaky crusts and luxurious pie fillings. She does everything with ease and an “it’ll be fine” attitude.

Kate’s had a fascinating life and career — before her baking days she was a professional accompanist playing piano and harpsichord, and a music coach. She wrote her first cookbook Art of the Pie (2016) when she was 63, followed by Home Cooking with Kate McDermott (2018) and her latest, Pie Camp (2020). Kate’s always looking for a new adventure and is the author of the top-rated Substack newsletter, “Kate McDermott’s Newsletter.”

Her philosophy on pie-making and life:

“Keep everything chilled, especially yourself.”

-Kate McDermott

Recipe

A chubby disc of dough, à la Kate. Photo: Jolene

Here is the recipe link: Art of the Pie Best Old-Fashioned Apple Pie

Note: I had 3 types of apples on hand, so that’s what I used. Also, as previously mentioned I used all butter. I really liked the outcome of leaving the peels on the apples—they became tender and also gave some oomph! to the texture of the filling. This pie is delicious.

I loved making this pie and I think you will too. Photo: Jolene

A note about the bottom crust

There is no blind-baking (baking the bottom crust for a little bit before filling so you don’t have a soggy crust).

I’m here to tell you this is the crispest, flakiest bottom crust of a pie I’ve ever made. I actually flipped a piece over and photographed so you can see just how beautiful it is and how great Kate’s recipe works.

This is the bottom crust I flipped over - so crisp!

There will be a lot more pies coming up here in the next few months when all the summer berries arrive. My favorite pie always and forever is blueberry, topped with creamy vanilla ice cream. I’d love to hear what your favorite is, so let me know in the comments. I also think I’d like to make some hand pies this summer.

But today it’s Apple Pie’s moment to shine and as Kate would say, “Be Happy. Make Pie.” Thank you, Kate!

Have a great weekend, Everyone.

Jolene