July 10, 2007
July 09, 2007
Sweet Short-Crust Pastry
For a single pie-crust
1 cup ap flour, scooped and leveled, plus two heaping spoonfuls flour
2 tsp sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter. I keep it in the freezer and do first chop with a hot carving knife.
1 1/2 tbsp Crisco (or lard if you let that in your house)
A little cold water
Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together.
Quarter the butter lengthwise, then cut into small chunks.
Wash your hands well
run your fingers under cold water until they hurt (optional, more important with warmer butter)
Toss the fat into the flour.
Smear the butter into little sheets, crumble it with your fingers, and otherwise play until the butter is cut into the flour. A couple of minutes.
Somewhere in there, use the heel of your hand to shmear the pastry into sheets - you are trying to create layers of butter and layers of flour.
Add just enough water to stick the flour and butter into a ball.
Refrigerate for several hours.
Roll out (it usually takes me two rolls, one to get it flat and one to get it round.)
Make into pie crust.
Double the recipe if your pie wants a top crust.
Based on Julia Child et al, The Way to Cook
Fun, but not too often
Yesterday I took the boys to go see the Camden Riversharks play minor league baseball.
It was my first minor league game. I had some fun. The boys had some fun. Younger son, 3 and change, was a bit overwhelmed by the heat, the sound, the crowds, and his lack of nap. Older son was also a little cautious. But, they had fun, and we watched some baseball in and around the other things we did.
Older son says he wants to go back after his birthday in August. The first homestand after his birthday is in early September. So we have a date. Younger brother is only coming along if J. comes too.
I won't really know he liked it until he asks when we are going back. It turns out that baseball in the abstract is compelling, but baseball in practice leaves him bored after half an inning.
For those keeping score at home:
Tickets: $30 (I could have gotten by with one ticket for me, since the boys sat on my lap all game.)
Parking: $3
My lunch: $6
Water bottle: $3
Pretzel: $2.50
3 hot dogs: $6.00
Icee: $3.00
Playground pass: $5
carousel rides: $2