You kids may remember that I have a friend (Larry Davenport) who teaches at Samford University, just over the hill from Nanni & grandad's house. Every few years we get together while we are in B'ham and catch up on grad school friends, what is happening in our lives, etc. Larry & I used to do field work together. Mom & I attended the christening of their son. Larry was along on the famous trip from hell (perhaps the subject of another post). When we got together this year, Larry had a list of things to tell me. among them was that Lori Wiersema had recently died. Apparently she was undergoing minor surgery and something went horribly wrong. Her husband, John, was a co-grad student of ours, though, as a botanist was closer to me than mom. Lori came to town as a grad student in nutrition but a close friend of another woman who was in the biology program. They started hanging out with the bio crowd, even playing on the softball team. Romance bloomed between Lori & John about the time when mom & I were realizing that we might be more than friends.
Lori was a good cook. I had made a pie for some grad student cookout party, but was complaining about struggling with the crust. She gave me a tip that I have used on every crust, pastry, or biscuit that I have made since. When I do this I always think of Lori. That's a lot of thoughts over the 30+ years that I have been using the tip, so I was shocked to hear that she is gone. In fact, the night before Larry told me, I had made a lemon meringue pie and thought of her.
I know that I have told all of you kids the tip and, probably, shown you. Here it is:
To make a crust, the first step is to "cut" the flour into the shortening. I usually start that process with a fork, but that only goes so far. To finish the process and get a really flaky crust, use your thumb and fingers on one hand to rub the flour and shortening together. Keep working it until the combination has the consistency of light snow.
Carry on the tradition and think of the tip that came from a one time friend.