CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK - National Pie Day

Saturday, January 23, is National Pie Day.
National Pie Day? Well, why not? There’s no better comfort food. What’s Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie, President’s Day without cherry pie, the Fourth of July without . . . uh, well watermelon? Okay, so not all holidays have a pie associated with them, but every holiday is more special with pie.

Some tips from the American Pie Council for ways to celebrate the day:

• Eat pie. Whether you make it yourself, buy it at a supermarket or bakery or order it at a restaurant, eat some pie on National Pie Day. Pie is great with lunch or dinner or as a late-night snack.

• Make pie. Bake your favorite homemade pie on National Pie Day.

• Share pie. If you make or buy a pie, share it. By its very nature, pie is meant to be eaten with others. Have a pie potluck get-together.

• Teach pie making. Stage classes and demonstrations and samplings at stores and schools. Invite seniors who KNOW pie to teach a class. If you don't know how to make pie, ask a pie maker to show you or attend a pie-making class.

• Hold a pie night. Gather family and friends for a pie celebration. Everyone must bring one homemade pie for the pie buffet. We have heard of events where more than 100 folks come with 100 pies.

• Hold a pie-making contest. Invite the best pie-makers in town to compete for prizes in various categories.

• Hold a charity pie-throwing or pie-eating contest or a pie auction. We suggest you donate the proceeds to your local community food bank.

• Pass along pie memories. Our pie heritage is slowly fading away. Call older members of the family and ask them for pie recipes. Ask them to teach you how to make them. Talk about your favorite pies and the family history behind them. Publish pie memories and recipes. Make pie often and serve them to the next generation.

• Eat more pie! You can always have another slice, preferably warm and a la mode.

Check out the website for even more ideas, and no matter how you cut it, pies are a great reason to celebrate! Now . . . drum roll please . . . my hubby Max’s all-time favorite – Old-Fashioned French Apple Pie.

OLD FASHIONED FRENCH APPLE PIE

7 c. sliced, peeled cooking apples (about 7)
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
1 tbsp. lemon juice or 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

CRUMB TOPPING:
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, mix together apples, brown sugar, spices, and lemon juice. Spoon apple mixture into pie shell.

Make Crumb Topping by mixing 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar together. Cut in 3/4 cup flour. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle topping over apples in pie plate. Bake for 50 minutes or until topping is golden and apples are tender.

So how about you? Ready for some pie? What's your favorite? Do you make them from scratch, call on Sara Lee or visit the bakery? I have a sneaky feeling I'll be in the kitchen tomorrow working on an Old-Fashioned French Apple Pie.