Baked in a Pie

We went apple picking this month and got 1/2 a bushel of apples. It seemed like a lot, but it's already gone! We picked at least 5 different varieties, including "good-eatin'" Macouns as well as some gigantic sweet Mutsus. I think there were some Honeycrisp and Gala in there too. (We went to Alyson's Orchard in Walpole, NH. While we were riding through the orchard behind a giant tractor we saw an idyllic fall wedding being set up next to a small pond. There were 4 trees there, the only ones around, and they all had flaming orange leaves. The wedding site and chairs were set up under these trees--it was really gorgeous.)

Here's our fruit crisper with some of the bounty.
I've already removed several special apples for making an apple pie.


Here are the several, peeled and ready for slicing.
The monster in the front left is a Mutsu.


Sliced. I took some extra time to slice them extra thin.
Totally worthwhile, as the resulting pie had many tender layers.


Pie dough ready for filling--seasoned apples to the left.


Ready for the lid! (Or whatever you call it.)


Bakin'


Baked! I fell prey to an urge to brush the crust with milk,
as a result it was way too hard. Lesson learned.


I like to do a little five-point star in the middle of my apple pies,
in homage to the star in the middle of an apple.

I like to eat my apple pie with a hunk of sharp cheddar. Is that weird? Other family members seem to prefer ice cream or whipped cream. I'm already craving another pie--it's a wonderful thing to have lying about for when you need a little after-dinner (or midnight, or morning, or midafternoon) something.