French Bubbles, Berry Pie, and a Queen Named Marie
I have to say, I don’t usually bake. As much as I love to cook, I hate to be confined by the restraints of measurements, choosing instead to throw in a little of this and add an extra bit of that. Sometimes items are left out altogether (say, ginger), and some are put in which might not have been called for (most often: garlic). You may have noticed this makes it hard to share recipes, because I don’t actually know how much I’m using in order to pass the info along.
The other night, however, I decided to make a Berry Patch Pie. (Cue music: Patty Griffin singing one of my favorites of hers–”Making Pies”). While I used a Pillsbury roll-out crust for the base, I made my own crust for the top with this recipe. Granted, I didn’t use as much butter as it called for, and a little more water, but I still think it turned out pretty tasty.
My friend, the teacher, came over and we watched Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, which I’ve been itching to see. Though the movie gave me the intense desire to have some petite fours, I think the pie, with its gooey berry center and topped with vanilla ice cream was decadent enough for two girls avoiding the Valentine’s blues. We had one of my favorite sweet sparkling wines: the Toad Hollow Risque’. Very light and tasting of candy apples and pears, this one is always up for fun… and dessert.
The pairings, if I do say so myself, were quite good. We also had Pick Up Stix with Gewurztraminer (and you know how I feel about that). But there were some interesting connections for the rest. Just as Marie Antoinette was transplanted from Austria to France, Toad Hollow imported the Blanquette from France. And the young queen thought of French customs and pomp, how I think of following a recipe exactly down the line: ridiculous.
….Farley Walker
Berry Patch Pie, Toad Hollow Risque’, Marie Antoinette
February 20th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I can say, having begged my own piece fo this- that it was delicious! Good for you for adapting your own recipe Farley.
February 20th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Hooray for not following recipes! I am the only one in my group of friends who doesn’t enjoy baking. It annoys me. I do so love to cook, though, and tend to read cookbooks to be inspired - not to follow!