Our Homemade Lives: Peachy Keen - It Tastes Like Summer!

So we saw a Facebook post about fresh Georgia peaches being sold from The Peach Truck all over the Dayton, Ohio area; and well, we just had to get some!

We piled kids, Lucy (Marah's black lab), and ourselves into the Fantastic Ford (for the fun, people, for the fun - the kids love to ride in the back and when Granny burns some rubber!) and headed 30 miles to the other side of Dayton.

18 year old Ford Taurus Wagon....they love it!

I would like to confess that it took me ten years to make pie crust that was any good. I always ended up with hard as a cracker pie crust and there were several reasons why. Pie crust is a tricky business. You have to keep the fat (we always use real butter) very cold, you have to use ice water, and you must LIFT the dough, never mashing it; finally, you must keep the fat cold until it is absolutely ready to go into the oven. All these instructions eluded me, however, the Finnish sisu (national "never give up" characteristic) part of me never quit trying! One day I got it all right and since then my pie crust is pretty darn good....unless I burn it; which happens and I'd like to say rarely but I should be honest so - it happens!

Mix flour, salt, sugar - then cut in butter and add ice water.

I do use a fork for the lifting but then I dig in.
Is that a new age spot?!

It may look like I am clawing the dough but I am lifting.

I am not squeezing the dough - still lifting and
stirring by hand.

As you see, a ball starts to form and no smooshing
was necessary!

Place newborn dough ball on a floured surface
and roll around a bit to cover lightly with flour.

Start the rolling and roll to about an inch larger
than the circumference of your pie plate.
Or is it the radius?
Bigger than your pie plate!

Turn your pie plate upside down and cut
about an inch outside of the edge.

Once your crust is feeling homey, poke lots of holes
with a fork and then begin to form the edge.
Place your finger on the edge and use your thumb and
finger from your other hand to press around it.
Just keep going!