Post by philly on Oct 20, 2012 23:12:23 GMT -5
Not much about "avid baker" Linda in this article, other than a quote:
No Debate Here: Apple Pie At Core Of 'Dough For Obama'
Posted: 10/19/2012 8:56 am
By Laura Holmes Haddad
Writer Joyce Maynard's philosophy is that pie brings people together.
Pie certainly brought people together Sept. 30 when more than 15 women and a couple of men gathered at Maynard's Marin County, Calif., home to learn how to make pie and raise money for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.
What Maynard dubbed "Dough for Obama" broke down into two groups -- pie makers and eaters -- and each group donated to the campaign to spend an unusually warm autumn afternoon making pies, eating pies and talking politics.
Gathering around Maynard's worn wooden table, guests absorbed her step-by-step instructions on how to make her famous apple pie and then tried their hand at it. Women ranging in age from their 30s to their 70s (and who are artists, writers, photographers, health care workers and a police detective) discussed what brought them together: their political passion, Maynard and their love of pie. For some, it was the first pie they had ever made, and the lure of a hands-on instruction was irresistible.
Related: The economics of food: What does it mean for ethically conscious consumers?
This wasn't Maynard's first pie party. The parties started in 2000 after Maynard donated a pie-making lesson to her school's auction. The $2,000 winning bid from Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who bought it for his wife, attracted the attention of the local paper. When a journalist asked Maynard whether she was planning any more pie parties, she replied, "I'm baking to defeat Bush."
She then promptly planned a party to raise money for Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign. Since that day, she has taught more than 1,000 people how to make pie while raising money for Gore, Sen. John Kerry and Obama. She also has hosted a daylong baking marathon to benefit victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake.
Related: Do bad politics thwart good olive oil?
Maynard's love of pie is bittersweet. Her mother always told her, "If I ever get a brain tumor I won't count calories." In 1989, doctors diagnosed Maynard's mother with a brain tumor and gave her only weeks to live, so Maynard moved in with her and baked for her mom and her friends.
"Making pie was a comfort to me," she said.
After her mother passed away and Maynard planned her first Thanksgiving without her kids and ex-husband, she invited friends over to learn how to make pie. Her role as pie-making guru had begun.
The pie lesson that September afternoon was sprinkled with stories and reassuring tips. Maynard's demonstration was straightforward:
• To make the filling, use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith, never red delicious.
• Do not add too much sugar (Maynard uses only a couple of tablespoons).
• Cut the apples into fairly large pieces.
• To make the perfect crust use an even mix of shortening and butter.
Maynard loves talking pie. Ever wonder about those airy pies with huge domed tops that look like applesauce when you cut into them? The apples are cut too small. ("I believe in a nice, high pie," she says.) Her secret pie ingredient? Tapioca. Sprinkle it on the bottom crust before the apples are added to prevent a soggy crust. And she recommends a glass pie dish because it distributes heat more evenly and you can see when the crust is done.
Related: Food and war in Baghdad, a correspondent's view
Her teaching is kind, patient and encouraging to first-time bakers and experienced ones. When transferring the top crust from the parchment paper to the pie Maynard said, "Now is moment that requires dive-in courage."
Maynard's philosophy puts less emphasis on looks and more on taste. "Mine is not a pretty pie; you can tell it's made by hand," she said.
Singer Linda Ronstadt, an avid baker and friend of Maynard's, surprised everyone by joining the party. Her advice? "Make a pie every day for a week to practice."
www.huffingtonpost.com/zester-daily/apple-pie-dough-for-obama_b_1972552.html
No Debate Here: Apple Pie At Core Of 'Dough For Obama'
Posted: 10/19/2012 8:56 am
By Laura Holmes Haddad
Writer Joyce Maynard's philosophy is that pie brings people together.
Pie certainly brought people together Sept. 30 when more than 15 women and a couple of men gathered at Maynard's Marin County, Calif., home to learn how to make pie and raise money for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.
What Maynard dubbed "Dough for Obama" broke down into two groups -- pie makers and eaters -- and each group donated to the campaign to spend an unusually warm autumn afternoon making pies, eating pies and talking politics.
Gathering around Maynard's worn wooden table, guests absorbed her step-by-step instructions on how to make her famous apple pie and then tried their hand at it. Women ranging in age from their 30s to their 70s (and who are artists, writers, photographers, health care workers and a police detective) discussed what brought them together: their political passion, Maynard and their love of pie. For some, it was the first pie they had ever made, and the lure of a hands-on instruction was irresistible.
Related: The economics of food: What does it mean for ethically conscious consumers?
This wasn't Maynard's first pie party. The parties started in 2000 after Maynard donated a pie-making lesson to her school's auction. The $2,000 winning bid from Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who bought it for his wife, attracted the attention of the local paper. When a journalist asked Maynard whether she was planning any more pie parties, she replied, "I'm baking to defeat Bush."
She then promptly planned a party to raise money for Vice President Al Gore's presidential campaign. Since that day, she has taught more than 1,000 people how to make pie while raising money for Gore, Sen. John Kerry and Obama. She also has hosted a daylong baking marathon to benefit victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake.
Related: Do bad politics thwart good olive oil?
Maynard's love of pie is bittersweet. Her mother always told her, "If I ever get a brain tumor I won't count calories." In 1989, doctors diagnosed Maynard's mother with a brain tumor and gave her only weeks to live, so Maynard moved in with her and baked for her mom and her friends.
"Making pie was a comfort to me," she said.
After her mother passed away and Maynard planned her first Thanksgiving without her kids and ex-husband, she invited friends over to learn how to make pie. Her role as pie-making guru had begun.
The pie lesson that September afternoon was sprinkled with stories and reassuring tips. Maynard's demonstration was straightforward:
• To make the filling, use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith, never red delicious.
• Do not add too much sugar (Maynard uses only a couple of tablespoons).
• Cut the apples into fairly large pieces.
• To make the perfect crust use an even mix of shortening and butter.
Maynard loves talking pie. Ever wonder about those airy pies with huge domed tops that look like applesauce when you cut into them? The apples are cut too small. ("I believe in a nice, high pie," she says.) Her secret pie ingredient? Tapioca. Sprinkle it on the bottom crust before the apples are added to prevent a soggy crust. And she recommends a glass pie dish because it distributes heat more evenly and you can see when the crust is done.
Related: Food and war in Baghdad, a correspondent's view
Her teaching is kind, patient and encouraging to first-time bakers and experienced ones. When transferring the top crust from the parchment paper to the pie Maynard said, "Now is moment that requires dive-in courage."
Maynard's philosophy puts less emphasis on looks and more on taste. "Mine is not a pretty pie; you can tell it's made by hand," she said.
Singer Linda Ronstadt, an avid baker and friend of Maynard's, surprised everyone by joining the party. Her advice? "Make a pie every day for a week to practice."
www.huffingtonpost.com/zester-daily/apple-pie-dough-for-obama_b_1972552.html
