Monday, June 29, 2009

Pie Day at the Fair

OK, y'all: I'm about to brag, so please bear with me. Guess who won a second-place ribbon at the San Diego County Fair on Pie Day? Me! Yay! Check it out...that's my sugar cream pie--made from my Grandma Betty Maxine's recipe, and her very own rolling pin, seen in the top photo--up there, sporting its pretty red ribbon.
It was a bit of an experience getting the pie to the fairgrounds in one piece: it had to survive freeway traffic; parking in a dirt lot; riding a shuttle with kicking toddlers sitting beside me; a metal detector; and fair-goers swerving around in front of me with their Zucchini Wienies (!) as I raced to get it to judging on time. Whew!
There are all the ribbons, lined up and ready to be distributed...

Here is my pie (second from the top), lined up with the competition in its category ("other").

I held my breath as they cut into it...I had no way of being sure that it had set up to the appropriate firm consistency. This is a delicious but rather unpredictable pie...sometimes it turns out runny for no apparent reason. Not this time: check out that lovely little slice o' heaven above. Yummmy!

The lady who won the blue ribbon in my category has been entering pies for 25 or 30 years, I was told; she won two other ribbons AND the grand sweepstakes ribbon. I was defeated by a master, obviously!

It was really fun and I'm SOOO glad I did it...my grandma was an unbelievable baker of pies*, but she never entered her pies into any competitions. I feel like she might be smiling down at me right about now.

*My mom ain't too shabby, herself! Maybe the pie-baking gene got passed down...

2 comments:

Various and Sunday said...

Oh My Goodness! People! This pie was so good. I had a couple of pieces, which were also shared by James and two neighbors and we all loved it. It was gone in like 2 minutes. My word for this yummy pie: sublime! Definitely worthy of the BLUE! But we'll settle for the Red, this year. I think red is a better color anyway. ;) Her name was NOT Betty Maxine!??? Oh, now, that's super cute!

vivi said...

I had forgotten that you have Betty Max's rolling pin. I am sure she was sitting on your shoulder saying "you go girl". It was a beautiful pie. Good work!!! XXXX