While I encouraged my husband to try this new venture, I warned him that he was taking on one of the most difficult challenges in home cooking: pastry. The dough must not be overworked or the crust will be tough. I reminded him that it's lots of work just to make the crust and that as long as I've been cooking I haven't perfected the technique.
He heard me, he said, but he wanted to try it. That was fine. The more he can cook the less obligated I feel.
The next day, when I arrived home from work, the house smelled wonderfully of cinnamon and butter.
On the dining room table was a pie, still warm, that looked as though it just walked off the pages of Southern Living magazine. The crust was golden brown with vent holes placed in a lovely pattern. The edges casually crimped, a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon on top and sweet, juicy apples gently bubbling at the seams.
He enumerated the mistakes. He didn't have enough dough to make a generous top crust so he had to throw together a little more. He didn't put enough sugar or cinnamon in the filling so he threw some more on top. I stood in awe of the beautiful creation my husband had made. His first pie.
We cut into it and slopped on a scoop of vanilla ice cream (he detests the notion of a slab of cheese but I don't mind). It was delicious. The crust was among the best I've ever eaten.
The next day, I took a slice to a friend I work with. We often bring one another a serving of dinner left over or a slice of cake or pie in a plastic container and just leave it on the desk.
Later that day she called me. "Your pie was delicious. I wish my crust would come out that flaky."
Although I wanted to take credit, I didn't. We decided there must be something about that recipe.
Not to insult my husband's innate pastry prowess (since the first pie he's made various yummies, from pizza crust to honey cake, all of which have been delicious), but that recipe holds a secret ingredient that makes it nearly no-fail.
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