FROM THE THANKSGIVING ARCHIVES: SACRILEGE:

It all starts with dessert: Try these easy and elegant versions of a classic (Donna Deane, Los Angeles Times)

Behold the pie, so perfect in its imperfection, the rustic pinnacle of the home cook's art. Pie is personal, a little tricky, but surprisingly forgiving. Its flaws reveal soul. The crimped edge is a bit uneven, the crust perfectly flaky. The surface of the custard may be cracked, the vents on the double-crust unevenly spaced, but that's the kind of beautiful imperfection a pastry chef, especially with all those years of training, could never reproduce. The pie has personality.

It must be eaten at just the right moment. Bake it the day before, and its crust becomes gluey and sodden. If it's out of the oven too close to dinner, it doesn't hold up enough to slice.

But make a couple of pies first thing in the morning and the flavors meld as they cool. There on the sill, they set the tone -- and unleash the aromas -- for Thanksgiving day.

You can flirt with huckleberry or chocolate cream, but on those occasions when you want to get back to the essence of the holiday, it has to be apple and pumpkin.

If there isn't a pecan pie on the table you may as well order out for Chinese.

(originally posted: 11/22/05)

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 24, 2009 8:24 AM