A chill in the air and a deluge of rain. The perfect time for homemade pasties.
Nothing says snug, warm, and home like a savory meat pie dipped in warm gravy!
The first one I ever had was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near Whitefish Bay. Those wacky Yoopers. How was I suppose to know that they loaded their's with Rutabaga. Hint: There is not enough gravy on the planet to get rid of the flavour of baked rutabaga. The next I tried (yes...there was a next time...once they promised they had used civilised ingredients like onion/potato/cheese with the beef/spice mixture) it was surprisingly agreeable. Immediately, I requested the recipe! Will share in a bit.
The storm rumbling through tonight, but overall it has been a lovely week.
Have finished two chapters in the second book of Zen Living...edited and with photos...this week. Weeded and planted and the flowers/gardenspot is really coming along. The snow peas are up about 3 inches! Ran off yesterday for some "mall-ratting" at the Honey Creek Mall in Terre Haute with friends...never ever get too old to mall-rat...and had a wonderful time. Started the morning at Cinnabon for cafe au lait and a huge cinnamon roll slathered with butter and cream cheese icing. Shopped...sampled perfumes...lotions and make-up...played with hats...found the best new mist/fragrance/body lotion at Bath and Bodyworks (Forever Red) and bought some...maybe not replacing Giorgio...but certainly adding to my options...found Loretta's drapes and the leather handbag she has been search for at Penny's...plundered Macy's and all the little boutiques. Plopped down in the massage chairs for a quick pick-me-up...and on to Yankee Candles for the scent du jour (Lilac) votives and tarts...Bourbon Chicken and ending the day where we began with a cup of coffee for the road...lol...
I miss the bookstore at the Mall.
Loving the warm sunny days and Tucker camps on my lap as I read out on the patio. Several in the works right now from the local library. A Compilation of Letters by Kurt Vonnegut (edited by Dan Wakefield)...The Twelve Tribes of Hattie...on the TBR pile...and a recently released non-fiction by renowned paleontologist Marlene Zuk entitled Paleofantasy examining homo sapient evolution and the more recent attempts to re-create an ersatz "natural" paleo-life including diet. Her basic gist: Evolve People.
Excellent body of thought-provoking work.
Looking forward to the Mother's Day Weekend! Had to laugh today when Lennon (our middle's) card arrived early with the proclamation "From Your Good Son" And a gift of a David Austin Rose Certificate.
The whole thing made funnier by the fact his brothers have referred to him (this term) for years, now.
Back to the manuscript. Tea's gone!
WORD: When a little girl hands you
a birthday hat...no matter how old you
are...you put that sucker on!
Pastie Recipe (pronounced Pass-Tee)
Pastry
2 cups flour
1/4 cup butter or beef suet
1/4 tsp dried savory
1/8 tsp coarse cracked pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2-3 Tablespoons cold water
Cut fat and flour together until pea sized.
Add spices.
Add water and mix until ball of dough forms.
Pich ball of dough into 4 equal parts and roll each out into a large circle.
Filling:
1 pound ground beef (uncooked)
3 medium sized potatoes chopped fine
1/2 medium sized onion chopped fine
1 teaspoon dried savory
1/8 teaspoon garlic
salt and pepper
Combine filling in large bowl and mix well. Form 4 oblong patties with mixture.
Place one patty on one side of each pastry circle...moisten edges of pastery when folding over and crimp like pie crust to seal.
Do with three remaining pasties.
Place on non-stick baking sheet...brush each with butter and sprinkle with additional dried savory and coarse crack pepper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour or until pastry is golden brown.
Serve with a side of brown gravy for dipping.
Serves four. Can be doubled.
Warning: Do not expect the crust on these hand-pies to be the delicate flaky affair you see in Beef Wellington. These pies were originally created to withstand the rigors of traveling in a lunch pail or saddlebag. A hearty working-man's meal.
