Wednesday, October 8, 2008

You Want Pie With That - II


I call this "I'm the biggest dork ever pie". Or, "1776: Compromise Pie".

I feel the need to give history lesson to introduce this pie. A long time ago (summer of 1776), in a place far, far away (Philadelphia, PA), a group of rebellious men (our Founding Fathers) gathered. The complained a lot and some disagreed on almost everything, but in the end, they all had the good of their chosen land at heart, and they reached a compromise. They agreed on several things.

First, that the windows of their meeting place should remain closed. This was an issue because it was an extra hot summer (and there was no A/C in those days), there was a plague of flies about, and their business was not the sort of thing that you wanted eavesdroppers to hear (in fact, there were no written records of their floor debates because, as their fearless leader so aptly put, "We must hang together, or we must asuredly all hang seperately", because, as their vocal South Carolinian noted, their plot was nothing short of treason). So... they abided the heat, and kept the windows closed.

Second, that the triangle trade shipping routes united them all, in spite of their varied geography (13 different colonies!). Important parts of that triangle trade were molasses and rum (I'd say they are still very important parts of our foreign trade, at least in my house).

Third (and perhaps most importantly - at least for a couple of members), that the stores of rum should remain open to all of their members!

Oh yeah, and they wrote and passed the Declaration of Independence.

Fast forward about 200 years. First, Peter Stone wrote a book about these events. Then, Sherman Edwards turned that book into a Broadway musical (in 1969). THEN, this musical was adapted for film (in 1972). Basically, it was the best film ever to hit screens (that statement may be what makes me a dork).

So... this great film obviously deserved a pie! The pie is something in between a shoofly pie and an apple pie, topped with a rum glaze. Shoofly because they really did endure awful flies, and apple because... well, what could be more American!? The rum for several reasons - There is a song with Rum in the title (that's a big one), that discusses the importance of rum in the triangle trade (the slave trade), AND Ben Franklin and Stephen Hopkins adore rum (and the other Adams uses this as a bit of a reward/celebration for Hopkins at one point) (and I suspect that rum is the culprit in the drunken militiamen that are mentioned later in the movie). Finally (I swear), the molasses is another reference to the triangle trade. To top off the pie, I gave it a rim of 13 stars - one for each colony (even NY, in spite of their courteous abstentions).

The Recipe:

1 c flour
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tbs solid shortening
1 c corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
1 beaten egg
3 baking apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, then coated in 1 tbs cinnamon
2 crusts (uncooked)

Preheat oven to 375.
Mix flour, brown sugar and shortening into crumbs.
Split the crumb mixture in half.
Set the one half aside for crumbs.
Pour the corn syrup in the other half of the crumb mixture.
Mix the baking soda in the boiling water.
When this fizzes, pour on top of the corn syrup/crumb mixture.
Add egg an mix with fork.
Pour in unbaked pie shell.
Cut stars from 2d crust.
Top pie with crumbs and then with stars around the edge.
Bake 10 minutes.
Turn oven down to 350 and bake an additional 30-40 minutes.

Rum Sauce

1 c sugar
3/4 c water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 c cold water
1/4 c rum

In medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and cinnamon.
Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.
In small bowl, blend cornstarch and cold water.
Gradually stir into hot sugar mixture.
Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens.
Stir in rum; cook 1 minute.
Pour over slices of pie and serve warm.

13 comments:

April said...

Great history lesson!! :) Your pies look fantastic! Great job on them!

Anonymous said...

I am overwhelmed - not one but TWO pies, and fruit roses, to boot! And while I am fond of 1776, MP and the Holy Grail is truly one of my all time favorite movies! Hey - has anyone ever told you that you're an overachiever? ;)

Elizabeth said...

April: Thanks!
MC: A REAL overacheiver would have actually fit in TWD this week too. :/ I'm hoping no one notices. ;)

Anonymous said...

I thought about doing two pies too, but ran out of time! Your pies look great!

Judy said...

I've seen both those movies. Great end for the killer rabbit! Both pies look delicious.

Anonymous said...

My spouse is a huge history buff. I can't believe I haven't seen this movie. Great job with the pie, the theme, the whole package!

Mary Ann said...

Great job!! You really went all out on this!

NKP said...

Two pies! Great work.
I do remember the killer rabbit, and remember being afraid of it the first time I saw it in the 70's(?) with my parents.

I love the stars around the edges of your pie, very creative.

Megan said...

Wow - you sure went over the top with this! Talk about dedication! The apple pie looks so good - I haven't had good apple pie in many years.
The rabbit pie? Um, sorry, you lost me there. But thanks for the history lesson along the way!!

Tammy said...

Great story and yummy pie!

Anonymous said...

Love both of your pies! Good to know I ain;t the only one that got dorky of Americana this month, although yours is waaaaaay more scholarly and smart then mine. that rabbit had it coming.

Anonymous said...

Our family used to watch and sing along to 1776 every 4th of July. Great idea!

Robyn said...

You're a cook, a lawyer (or, soon-to-be) -- you're a girl after my own heart!

BEAUTIFUL pies!