Year of the Dragon

I made a pie! Perhaps I'm beginning to un-beige. My assignment was to bring a dessert to the dinner hosted by Terry and Brian to celebrate Chinese New Year. I was SO CLOSE to buying something. A Chinese bakery makes a lovely cake. It would be SO EASY! The Hubby even urged me to buy something. But I fought those beige tendencies.

I never make pie. Pie is something that was my mother's domain. But it has always intrigued me. Tips to making a good flaky crust: Keep it cold. Don't overwork it. Once it's rolled out and ready to be placed into the pie plate be careful not to stretch it.

Pie crust only has a few ingredients so it's not hard to make. But it's tricky. Just the challenge to push me out of beige.

The family celebrating the Year of the Dragon

As a first pie, I decide to go with one that only has a bottom crust and a crumble top. Half as tricky I hope. I email my Auntie Katie in Vancouver for tips. She is the one who taught my mother how to make pie crust. Unfortunately I don't hear back from her in time. I'm on my own.


I choose a Deep Dish Winter Fruit Pie with Walnut Crumb. It is filled with apples, pears, cranberries, and dried figs. It turns out beautifully. I am happy. I'm a little less beige than I was before.


Gung Hay Fat Choy!