The Zen of Slicing Pie
Cutting pie in the restaurant business involves more than a steady hand and a good eye. At Mrs.Rowe's Restaurant and Bakery, employees need to prove themselves before being trained to cut the pie. Here are some pie slicing tips from owner and general manager, Mike DiGrassie, that you can use at home: Don’t give in to the temptation to cut into a warm pie. It will taste good, but will be a mess. Use a blunt-tip serrated knife. Keep the knife hot. (The restaurant keeps their knife...
Read MoreMy First Radio Essay
Here’s the link–if you want to listen. http://www.wvtf.org/news_and_notes/audio/200904131426260.WV7CHICKPEAS.mp3
Read MoreLook at Me, Ma, I’m on the Radio
I love radio, which is one reason I’m so thrilled about my newest gig on WVTF. I blame my love of radio on my parents, who had the radio on all the time, all day long and all night long. The dial on the radio in their room and in the living room never changed. It was always on KDKA in Pittsburgh. And, according to my mother, it’s simply not news or worthy of conversation unless it’s reported on by KDKA. I take issue with that, just as a good daughter who moved away from home should. I...
Read MoreThe Mythology of Pie
"While old-fashioned pie has largely disappeared from the American landscape, the mythology of pie lives stronger than ever. that's because pie is a symbol of something bigger than Mom and her way with desserts." —Pasquale Le Draqulec, American Pie: Slices of Life (and Pie) from America's Back Roads.
Read MoreFresh Maple Syrup from Highland County, Va.
Many people from outside of the area are surprised to learn that Virginia has fine maple syrup. I don’t think it’s anything against my adopted home state, I just think people tend to think of Vermont when they think of states and the sweet stuff. For two weekends in March, Highland County hosts a Maple Syrup Festival that I’ve been hearing about for years and still have not quite made it to—well, at least not to the festival proper. This past weekend my family and I went to an open...
Read MoreHappy National Banana Cream Pie Day
Here's a few recipes from MRS. ROWE'S LITTLE BOOK OF SOUTHERN PIE (Ten Speed Press, July, 2009) in celebration of National Banana Cream Pie Day. Enjoy! (At this point, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that you can pre-order the book at Amazon of Ten Speed.) Susan’s Banana Cream Pie Here’s a recipe from Susan Simmons, a longtime baker at Mrs. Rowe’s Country Buffet who now works in the catering arm of the company. Pouring the hot custard over the bananas infuses an...
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