As simple as PIE! Yummy chocolate tarts from Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts. And above the tarts, a layout of the table.
Banana Cream from the Lion House Cookbook. And below, the famous Lady Bird Johnson Pecan.
Cherry with a cheat code lattice cutter from Williams Sonoma. And bottom, Apple from Favorites!
Thanks to Sarah, National Pie Day was a success at the Liechty home, after nearly 10 years of it passing by unnoticed. We had lots of neighbors and friends who joined us and Brent and Ralph were here for the pre-celebration baking, three days earlier, when I made a blueberry, Tollhouse chocolate and pumpkin pie to freshen up my crust skills, and to appease Matthew who just happened to start a crazy pie obsession about the second week in January. I figure that Matthew like his cousin Oliver for the Contreras family, can be our patron Liechty for NPD since his birthday is January 5th. Lucky for Matthew, I had already been sparked with the desire to make pies by Sarah.
I had the happiest day in a long time on Friday January 23rd. Peter and I danced to Sympathique as I rolled out crust after crust, mixed fillings, melted chocolate, sliced bananas, emptied cans and dusted flour off my nose. In the end I made two sweet potatoe pies, one apple, one cherry, 6 chocolate tarts, one banana cream and the winner! the pecan pie recipe that Lady Bird Johnson made for JFK the day he was killed. It rocks! Our friends brought a fruit tart, a chocolate cream and lots of vanilla icecream. James and I agreed, it was one of the happiest nights we've had in a long time. Thanks to the pie, and Sarah and Martha and Favorites and the Daily Universe January 1995, the Lion House and Pink Martini and all those friends who jumped on board and called out Happy National Pie day as they walked through the door. I now believe we will continue this fun mid January American tradition.
