Pie-Saster: The Recovery

Here's the thing about me and baking: I honestly can't let a bad experience go unaddressed. Or, rather, I always seem to take bad baking experiences as challenges to get back in the kitchen and do better. I know that if I just keep at it, I'll come up with something that will either be exactly what I'm going for or something that's good, and teaches me what I need to learn for the next time. For example, many years ago I blew through two attempts...

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Pie-saster!

One of the things I promised when I started this blog was that I would talk about my failures as well as my successes. This post chronicles the former, a "pie-saster", if you will, that was several days in the making and had a particular impact on me with regards to my baking. I apologize for not having any pictures; I'll make sure I photograph all the baking projects that explode in my face from now on. It'll be educational. Besides, I'm sure there are many folks would love to see me with egg custard on my face. (Yes I went there!) The story...

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The Ice Cream Sandwich Man Cometh - Fourth Installation

I was close. So very close. And my self-imposed deadline loomed. I had all the elements gathered in the apartment. The shipping box I found on Amazon arrived on the Friday, July 6. In fact, that was the catalyst that started this frenzied bout of creation. Once that box was in my hands, I had to get it filled and shipped as soon as possible. I'm a big believer in "production for use" (now there's an obscure reference if I've ever made one). Before...

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The Ice Cream Sandwich Man Cometh - Third Installation

I have more than a couple of cook books. But that's not such a big surprise now, is it? Some of them I got from one of the plethora of book clubs that popped up in the 80s, when books were analog-only. Some I got from book giveaways when I worked as a secretary for the ad sales department of a decorating magazine in the 90s. Others were gifts from friends and, in one case, the mother of my friend Steve. And I have access to even more cook books...

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The Ice Cream Sandwich Man Cometh - Second Installation

The first component of this harebrained scheme I tested was the ice cream. The Cusininart came with a booklet that had quite a few recipes but on a whim I dropped into Barnes & Noble after an outing to the Union Square Green Market with Michele (I mentioned that here) to see if I could snag one of the bread making books I've been wishing for. I would have gotten one, too, if I hadn't seen the Williams-Sonoma Ice Cream book first. Mmmmm.......

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The Ice Cream Sandwich Man Cometh!

A couple of weeks ago I alluded to a secret project I was working on. I am now at liberty to divulge said secret, now that my father has received his box. Personally, I can't believe the end result of this 947 mile (as the crow flies) mad dash to send seven homemade ice cream sandwiches from NYC to Florida in the middle of a heatwave. I probably should have waited for cooler weather but I wanted to send a special treat to my father. I've been on...

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