Did I say Never?

One thing I learned a long time ago.  Never and I mean never try a new recipe for dinner guests.  Sunday I went against my own advice.  It was a moment yes do it, no don't be crazy and for some reason yes do it ,won.  I am out of lard and really worried I will not find someone butchering this fall  willing to sell me some leaf fat for rendering.  Sad, tough times ahead for my baking I really like the success of pie crusts using lard.  It is also great for frying the old fashioned doughnut call a fried cake.  Gramma Carrie Gross taught me how to make them.  While at the Amish the other day I had to buy..................a Crisco type shortening for some of my recipes.  Usually I use a crust recipe my niece gave me and it is delicious.  On the shortening I bought was a recipe for pie crust.  Like I said, for some reason I decided to try it.  The crust was easy to roll out, pick up and put in place plus it is flaky and I mean flaky!   One lonesome piece of apple pie left and that will be for the guy that takes such good care of me. 

Still liking the "old type" coffee maker, the percolator.  Giant in Wellsville grinds
the coffee for the coarseness needed to have a good perk.

Recipe for pie crust.....yes it is good
3 cups of flour  (sifted)  or use the best flour no sifting required, King Arthur
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup oil
In a large bowl put flour and salt, cut in the shortening.  Make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients, mix gently until a dough is formed.  Do not over work as it will make the crust tough.  This is always true with pastries.  Bread and rolls you want to work the dough for a great bread and crust texture.  It needs to have the elasticity that kneading provides.  Back to the pie crust, next roll the dough on a lightly floured board to the desired size and thickness.  Depending on the size of your pie pans as to how many pies the crust will make.  I used a large one and have enough left to make a smaller pie today.  Coconut Cream on the menu for tonight.  On the top of the pie crust before baking I brush milk or half and half and sprinkle sugar to give it that extra wow look.  For the apple pie I mixed cinnamon with the sugar before sprinkling.
I preheat the oven at *400 until the top crust starts to get a golden brown and then drop the temp to *365 until the pie is done. 

Saturday we went to an estate sale on the Eleven Mile Road.  As I have said before, it is sad to see the belongings of a family being sold and gone forever.  There really wasn't anything we needed or wanted but I just couldn't leave without a little something.  I looked and looked until I saw this little flower vase cast aside on a window sill.  When I took it to the gal cashing out the buyers and asked her how much she said a $1.00.  So it is mine, already cleaned and holding a garden dahlia and a clipping from my African Violet.  No matter the size and cost it fit the bill for what I will use it for.

A unique little vase.

 Yesterday Dick and our nephew Trent hauled the lumber cut out of our White Pines from Enos Mast near Belmont, NY.  Thanks to Trent for hauling our son in laws trailer with his beautiful GMC Truck!  Family is good to us, sometimes we feel too needy!   It was exciting to bring the wood  home.  Like humans the pine has come full circle.  From a tiny seed that grew into huge trees and now its final resting place.............the cabin.  We left 4 large mother pines to insure the White Pine Stand will continue like it has since the late 1800s.  Three things I love, the smell of fresh cut grass, the ocean surf, horses and new lumber.  I have a thing for lumber, from the looks of  the many different grains of the wood depending on the type, to the feel and of course the smell.  I can see why cabinet makers enjoy their work.  The old time cabinet makers are few and far between but we are lucky to have a guy right here in Shinglehouse, Roy Phillips, that does beautiful custom work.  Although we have never had him build something for us we have heard what wonderful work he does.  You know all the advertising in the world is not as fruitful as word of mouth.  It can make you or break you,  take pride and be honest in what you do, it will give you respect for yourself. 

Setting on the stack of 1,500 board feet of lumber waiting for the boss
so we can unload it.  This is what 7am, one cup of coffee, no make-up
and uncombed hair looks like.  Who is that old woman!

The two very top slabs are 2" X 32" X 9'.  Enos is pretty darn proud of these pieces that will be the kitchen counter top, island top and bathroom vanity top.  It is as wide as his saw will cut and they only have a couple knots in them.......nice lumber the old trees gave us. One more load on Thursday and we will have a total of  3,000 board feet.  Siding, flooring, ceiling and some 2" X 4" X 8' for studding in the walls.  Enos bought all the extra we didn't need which was 4,000 board feet.  That's a lot of sawing!

Dick has just about finished the electric and the inspector called today and said he will be here next week one day.  That is going to make life a whole lot easier since we have been carrying wood back and forth to our house to cut.  No wonder we have been so hungry lately or the winter mode is taking over.