The Difficulty of Baking in India
August 13, 2013 4:35 pm Leave your thoughtsI’m making an apple pie today, Heidi’s favorite. Since she has lived in rough conditions I have to spoil her every chance I get. She asked me to make an apple pie when I visited her in India. So I started with Granny Smith apples, four or five, peeled and sliced. I cut these into a large bowl with ¼ c flour, 1 c sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon. She had no nutmeg so I left out my usual ¼ teaspoon. I set that aside and started on the crust.
Finding 2 cups of flour and a teaspoon of salt was no problem but they don’t have shortening in India so I substituted with 2/3 c of butter. “Now, Heidi, where’s your pastry blender?”
“Oh, I don’t have a pastry blender, you’ll have to use knives or a fork.”
“Okay, I guess I can do that. Now some ice water would be perfect.”
“Oh, we don’t have ice but there’s tepid water.”
“Yeah, okay, it won’t be as good but we’ll work with what we have. Just show me where you keep your rolling pin and I’ll roll this out.”
“Oh, I don’t have a rolling pin. You’ll have to use a bottle.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate but I’ll see if I can do it with a bottle. Alright, it is what it is. Give me the pie plate and we’ll get this baby, such as it in, into the oven.”
“Oh, sorry, I don’t have a pie plate. You’ll have to use this cake pan.”
“Oh, dear, my child. How do you think you can get the pieces of pie out when you have straight sides?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll manage. I’ve already invited Lucy and Sarita and JiYoung to come over tonight for a pie party.”
“Well, honey, I’ll do my best but you aren’t really helping much.” By the way where’s your oven that I can bake this in?”
“Oh, it’s that box on the floor. We don’t have a real oven. We just set this on top of the burner and put the pie in there.”
“A box oven, huh? And how do you know when it’s done. In a normal oven it needs an hour.”
“Well, we’ll just peek in every half hour or so and guess by sight and smell. It looks perfect. Thank you, Mom. I can’t wait. Just think, my Mom’s homemade pie right here in India.”
Blog #10
I’m making an apple pie today, Heidi’s favorite. Since she has lived in rough conditions I have to spoil her every chance I get. She asked me to make an apple pie when I visited her in India. So I started with Granny Smith apples, four or five, peeled and sliced. I cut these into a large bowl with ¼ c flour, 1 c sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon. She had no nutmeg so I left out my usual ¼ teaspoon. I set that aside and started on the crust.
Finding 2 cups of flour and a teaspoon of salt was no problem but they don’t have shortening in India so I substituted with 2/3 c of butter. “Now, Heidi, where’s your pastry blender?”
“Oh, I don’t have a pastry blender, you’ll have to use knives or a fork.”
“Okay, I guess I can do that. Now some ice water would be perfect.”
“Oh, we don’t have ice but there’s tepid water.”
“Yeah, okay, it won’t be as good but we’ll work with what we have. Just show me where you keep your rolling pin and I’ll roll this out.”
“Oh, I don’t have a rolling pin. You’ll have to use a bottle.”
“Well, that’s unfortunate but I’ll see if I can do it with a bottle. Alright, it is what it is. Give me the pie plate and we’ll get this baby, such as it in, into the oven.”
“Oh, sorry, I don’t have a pie plate. You’ll have to use this cake pan.”
“Oh, dear, my child. How do you think you can get the pieces of pie out when you have straight sides?”
“Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll manage. I’ve already invited Lucy and Sarita and JiYoung to come over tonight for a pie party.”
“Well, honey, I’ll do my best but you aren’t really helping much.” By the way where’s your oven that I can bake this in?”
“Oh, it’s that box on the floor. We don’t have a real oven. We just set this on top of the burner and put the pie in there.”
“A box oven, huh? And how do you know when it’s done. In a normal oven it needs an hour.”
“Well, we’ll just peek in every half hour or so and guess by sight and smell. It looks perfect. Thank you, Mom. I can’t wait. Just think, my Mom’s homemade pie right here in India.”