Hap-PIE Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2009 - the Thanksgiving of the Pie

Not to be confused with Thanksgiving 1997 - the Thanksgiving of the Pies. It's an important distinction. That was the year we were with my husband's family in New Mexico and for some reason, that particular year, everybody made a pie. The pies that year may have outnumbered the people, but who really knows? It has become such legend now, it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Oh, how fondly we recollect the Thanksgiving of the Pies! Who knew such little people could eat so much pie.

By comparison, this year's festivities only featured 2 pies. But still, the holiday merits its own title: The Thanksgiving of the Pie. With emphasis on quality over quantity. And, boy howdy, did we have quality!

My mom made the pecan pie. Her mother's recipe. You can't go wrong when you take your grandmother's tried-and-true recipe, sprinkle in your mother's perfect execution, with a dash of assistance from your own 7-year-old daughter. We're talking four generations that went into the making of this pie. It was lovely - pecans expertly arranged in concentric circles, toasted to a nutty perfection, and a crust that absolutely did not crack.

I made the cherry pie. And you can, too! Now, don't be intimidated by the lattice top crust. It's not that hard. Here's my secret: The first time you make this pie, have your little daughter help you with it and show her how to weave the lattice. Then, each subsequent time you decide to make the pie, when your brain goes DUH! How do I weave those lattice strips again? Why, your darling daughter, whose brain is not decaying at the speed of light, will be there to assist you and say, "This is how we did it, Mommy, you dolt." (No, of course she didn't say that.) Easy, right? Yeah, I know, I should have my own cooking show.