Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>Boron Elgar wrote:
>>Cindy Hamilton wrote:
>> >Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> >
>> >> I don't know anyone who doesn't love coconut cream
>> >> pie... I love coconut cream pie but I love coconut custard pie more...
>> >
>> >And here's the results of a survey of people's favorite pies.
>> >
>> ><http://www.epicurious.com/archive/blogs/editor/2008/04/americas-favori.html>
>> >
>> >I see it's a few years old, but I can't imagine a sea change in people's
>> >taste in pies in that amount of time.
>> >
>> I have tried to track down the sample composition and methodology used
>> for this study, as either could influence the results.
>>
>> Best I can find is that it was started January 2nd 2008, and the
>> report issued in March of 2008.
>>
>> That date made me a tad suspicious of pumpkin coming in 2nd. Might
>> have been influenced by the proximity of the holidays, as the other
>> ranks might have been, too.
>>
>> And folks were asked to pick their 3 favorites. Again, without looking
>> at the data it is hard to know how reliable the ranks and percentages
>> are, but such questions are often asked by 1st, 2nd, 3rd rank and then
>> combined in various ways to see differences.
>
>Well, yeah. npr.org also had a self-selected survey, which I discounted
>on the basis of sample bias.

That survey isn't accurate as it does not take geographical location
into account.

My grandmother made the best pie with greengage plums from her own
trees, unfortunately I haven't the recipe, but I did plant a greengage
plum tree.

My favorites:

1. Nesselrode (by far the best, and the sexiest)
http://www.fyi.tv/shows/the-feed/recipes/nesselrode-pie

2. Mincemeat (much preferred to pumpkin for Thanksgiving).
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/fo...eat-pie-104437

3. Dutch Apple (prefered to plain apple).
http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/dutch-apple-pie-30859

Apple Pie Filling from Dehydrated Apples

The nicest apple pies I've ever made were when the filling was
prepared from dried (dehydrated) apples, the apple flavor is more
intense and the texture less mushy; obviously there is less work
and no waste. Dried apples are easily available from stupidmarkets
at reasonable prices especially from markets that sell bulk and from
so-called health food shops. And of course there are no storage
problems with dehydrated fruits.

One pound of dehydated apples equals approximately ten pounds of
fresh. To one pound of dehydrated apples add 2 quarts of water and
*slowly* bring to a gentle boil, stir occasionally and cook 5 minutes,
covered. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, till room temperature.
Make a slurry of cornstarch and cold water; bring apples back to boil
and add cornstarch mixture and cook until thick and clear. Turn off
heat.

While still hot carefully blend in sugar (about 1 pound), a pinch of
salt, butter (about 2 ounces), a tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and
the juice of one lemon. Cool throughly. May be refrigerated up to
two days for later use.

Scale about 3 1/2 cups filling into each unbaked pie crust, cover with
topcrust and bake at 425 degrees F for about 45 minutes, until crust
is nicely browned.

I've not yet used freeze dried apples for pie but I intend to soon:
http://shop.honeyville.com/freeze-dried-apples.html