Memorial Meringues

Some friends across the street have become very dear to me over the past year or so. I made these Lemon Meringue Pies to honor their mother/grandmother as part of a memorial gathering after her burial at Arlington. I hadn't made a Lemon Meringue pie in ages, so was glad to have the chance. I was also touched to get to know the deceased pie maker through her recipe. She used all butter and egg yolk in her crust. She was my kind of pie lady. Rest in peace.

Current Pie Tally: 164

Coconut Custard, Take 2

I made this one the same as the last pie I made and it came out consistently excellent. Now to start tweaking!

Current Pie Tally: 162

Pie Day Coconut Custard Pie

I made this for Pie Day this year (March 14). It may have been a day early or a day late, but it was an excuse to make pie just the same. A Coconut Cream Pie recipe in the new Penzey's Spices catalog inspired me to make this one. My past experience making Coconut Cream Pie led me to believe it was really more of a custard than a cream. I am still tweaking my version of the recipe, but I will post it when I am satisfied. The next version will use coconut milk instead of whole cow's milk. I'm excited to try the result. One bag of sweetened shredded/flaked coconut from the store makes four of these pies, so I've got two more before the bag is gone.

Current Pie Tally: 161

Forgotten Chocolate

I wish I could remember what I made this Chocolate Pudding Pie for. Perhaps someone came to visit us or I had a party to go to? It's all a blur. Oh wait, it's coming back to me. I think I may have made it for when I hosted Book Club a month or so ago. Anyway, here is the link to the recipe. Omit coffee ingredients and substitute arrowroot starch for cornstarch.

Current Pie Tally: 160

Turtle Ice Cream Pie

A little late on getting the post up, but Merry Christmas! I mixed things up this year by making a genre of pie I've never made before. I have to say I liked it! Very easy to make, but I probably wouldn't futz with all of the caramel layering they do in the recipe next time. Just straight ice cream topped with the caramel, chocolate ganache, and pecans would have done the trick. I also just made a straight-up graham cracker crust. While I made this pie with every family member on board about eating it, my husband and I ate pretty much all of it. The kids were blinded by the candy light shining forth from their Christmas stockings for a good long while and no other sweets would be considered. Recipe can be found here.

Current Pie Tally: 159

Pecan Pie in a Raincoat

I sent this Pecan Pie (this one had 1/4 c. sorghum, 1/4 c. brown rice syrup, 1/8 c. real maple syrup, & 1/8 c. honey) down the street in the rain with my husband the other night. He used it to cement his initiation into the Neighborhood Monthly Poker Game's inner circle of regular players. He came home with two meager slices leftover and explained that it was quickly "destroyed" upon arrival. He also won $1. Glad the pie was a hit!

Current Pie Tally: 158

Christmas Party Pies 2014

My husband and I started throwing an Austrian Christmas Party for much of neighborhood a few years ago. I can't very well host a party without a good helping of pie. This year's pies were two Chocolate Pudding Pies (omit coffee ingredients and use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch) and two Austrian Apple Pies (of 2012 Takoma Park Apple Pie Contest fame). Nearly all of the Chocolate Pudding Pie was scoffed up, but the Austrian Apple Pies were hardly dented (maybe 1/2 of a pie was eaten). I guess savory pies aren't big crowd-pleasers. Oh well. I'll make something else next year. The Chocolate Pudding Pies might have to become an annual staple of the party though. Not to mention that I carefully hid the leftover 1/4 of Chocolate Pudding Pie in the refrigerator. And ate it all. Myself.

Current Pie Tally: 157