From Scratch

We don’t try to hide what these are. When consumers go to other fast-food places they feel like they’ve got to buy two of their breakfast sandwiches or burritos to fill up. This is really designed to fill you up.”
I’ll say. The quote is from Brad Haley, marketing chief of the Hardee’s fast-food chain, which […]

Not far from Dartmouth College is a wonderful orchard on a road with the unfortunate name of Poverty Lane. I was in the area this week and decided to stop for some heirloom apples and the view. New England is renowned for its autumn foliage but this year the color is only meh and after several […]

Have you ever made a double-crust apple pie, only to cut into it and discover a gaping space between the top crust and the apples? I have and frankly, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t. But it doesn’t have to happen.
One solution is to use more butter in the crust so the pastry really sinks […]

The most difficult aspect of making a woven lattice crust is resisting the urge to tell everyone how easy it is. When you get compliments — and you will, of the ooh and ahh variety — simply smile and say thank you. There must be people who perceive this as difficult or there wouldn’t be directions […]

How much caffeine is in your decaf? According to Consumer Reports, there might be more than just a trace and in a few cases, much more.
CR shoppers bought brewed decaf from six chain stores, all size small. When the lab analyzed the coffee it found caffeine amounts ranging from the expected 5 mg or less […]

Of four classic pastry doughs — pate brisee, pate sucree, pate sablee (”sandy” — it’s like a cookie dough) and pate a choux – this is one of the two most often made by American home bakers, the other being brisee for a flaky crust.
“Sucre” means sugar and its presence produces a sturdier crust, making this […]

I loved disco in the late 70’s and early 80’s, still do. I especially loved the oh-so-gay Village People and their “wink-wink” smash hit, YMCA. Now imagine if Idaho Republican Senator Larry “airport men’s room” Craig ran into the Village People during a layover (I’d rate this PG-13):
Update 10/15 Well, darn. The video’s no longer available. […]

I was delighted to discover From Scratch and I are on a List of (over) 100 Women Blogging on Politics. The blog Informed Voters published the list; its author, Catherine Morgan, has a sharp and critical eye on American politics. I’m so pleased to be included; thank you, Ms. Morgan. 
To find other women bloggers, the list is here.

Sphere: Related […]

Republican former senator Fred Thompson took part in his first presidential debate on Tuesday, having lowered the expectations for himself. He nearly hit that mark. It must have been disappointing for those hoping Thompson, a former actor, could energize the base the way Ronald Reagan, another ex-actor, did. Thursday, Mike Keefe of The Denver Post came […]

When I announced pie making week, I promised five days of information. That was before I remembered savory crusts, which really had to be part of it. So a bit more is coming in the next few days, specifically a pate sucree, which I will use for both a pie and a lattice crust. And […]

It’s one thing to change your position on an issue. It’s another to do so after ridiculing an opponent. 
Back in July, when Barack Obama said during a debate that he would be willing to meet with Iranian leaders, unconditionally, Hillary Clinton called his position irresponsible and naive.
Yesterday, in a Canterbury, NH apple orchard, a citizen […]

While we’re not certain of the true origin and meaning of the old nursery rhyme, we can be fairly sure the “four and twenty blackbirds” did not fly out of an apple pie. Savory pies are hundreds of years old and we still enjoy them today.
Two popular savory pies are the comforting pot pie and, […]

I still remember reading something in an old cookbook when I got serious about pie crusts. It advised people making pie crust by hand to work quickly. Good advice, since overworking the dough’s not wise. Then I was startled by the explanation that if you’re nervous and your palms are warm, the dough will get too […]

I’ve always been something of a dilettante about pie crusts. I’ve gone through phases when I’d make them with cream cheese or add herbs or spices. Sometimes I’d add ground nuts, cocoa or, for apple pies, cheddar cheese. When we became aware of the dangers of trans fat, I threw away my Crisco and went to […]

Happily, for those of us who like both, it’s a bit of each.
In a nutshell, it’s a pumpkin pie with apples on the bottom. This is a new recipe for me and I can see it taking its place alongside the traditional pies during the holidays. It fairly screams autumn, and the scent while whisking […]