Good Food on KCRW.com

Today is Food Independence Day according to several groups organizing the movement. 

What are you eating this July 4?

Thanks to Kendell S. from Pasadena for this picture of Pecan Pumpkin Pie made from Tartine's recipe.  It's a custard pie with pecans coated in cinnamon brown sugar syrup:

Kendell's Pecan Pumpkin Pie

Fried Peach Pie

Since I’m at Angeli all day today I figured I would take advantage of the fryer and make Fried Peach Pies (served with Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream).  How bad can they be?  Sooo not bad. The best ever.

I made a crust with the dreaded Crisco since butter would burn at high temperature, but since you are actually dipping the crust into fat you can use less than would be called for in a regular pie crust.  I used a couple of eggs as well as a very small amount of icy water and a couple of tablespoons of sugar.  Deep fried,  the crust reminds me of the best cannoli shells. Shattering bubbles on the very outer layer then once your teeth hit the inner layer of dough it’s perfecly flaky and the not too sweet peaches are a great foil for the richness of the fried dough.  I sprinkled the pies with sugar.  I had to leave the restaurant so I wouldn’t fry another one.  Thank goodness I shared the tester with three other people.

I want to play with making tiny little ones for catering jobs.

As you know, I've gone pie crazy this summer.  As I continue my quest to make a pie-a-day, I want you to EAT a pie-a-day.  Take a picture of a pie that you buy, make or eat and send it to us at goodfood@kcrw.com.  We'll post a picture a day.  

Safa Kasem with a Hass Avocado

Safa Kasem holds a Lamb Hass avocado at Mud Creek Ranch.  The Lamb Hass is a large, creamy avo – some say even better than a regular Hass … as if!  Wednesday Santa Monica, Sunday Hollywood.

Neal Ims with Sugar Queen Melons

Neal Ims in a sea of Sugar Queen melons at Weiser Family Farm.  Melons are in peak season, check out the multiple varieties.  Weiser Family Farm is at many Los Angeles area farmers markets.

Jose Gomez with Roses

Jose Gomez, age 9, sells beautiful garden roses grown by Lily’s Eggs in Fillmore.  Lily’s Eggs sells free range chicken and duck (by pre-order) and chicken and quail eggs.  At many Los Angeles area farmers markets.

Javier Espinoza of AOC buys peaches

Javier Espinoza, Chef at AOC, demonstrates his advanced filing system as he loads up on peaches at Regier Farm’s stand.  Regier sells luscious peaches and nectarines in ever-changing varieties at the Wednesday Santa Monica market.

Sage's Cherry Tomatoes

Sage Restaurant’s cherry tomato mix, which is carefully prepared by Coastal Farm.  Wednesday, Saturday Santa Monica, Hollywood occasionally

Allison Hensley of Peacock Farms

007 – Allison Hensley of Peacock Farm holds a hot Hungarian pepper amid a display of baby eggplant and summer squash.  Peacock also has jalapeno peppers, occasional mushrooms and eggplant all summer long.  Wednesday Santa Monica, Thursday Thousand Oaks, Sunday Hollywood.  

The first Strawberry Pie of this ongoing project wasn’t fabulous so I’ve been combing through pie books for inspiration.  I came upon a great idea in the massive tome, Pie by Ken Haedrich.  It starts with a chocolate crust that's allowed to cool then napped with cornstarch thickened strawberry puree.  Sliced raw berries are arranged atop the puree and then topped with whipped cream enhanced with more strawberry puree. 

Kathy's Chocolate Pie Crust

I changed up the recipe a bit.  Ken’s crust was made with chocolate wafers eg, the outside of oreos.  I arrived at Angeli this afternoon to find that chef Kathy had blind baked a beautiful chocolate crust made from a recipe in Dorie Greenspan’s Baking from My Home to Yours.  It smelled and looked wonderful.  So I chopped up some strawberries, added a bit of lemon zest and sugar then cooked the fruit down to a thick puree, relying on the pectin in the fruit to thicken the puree.  I poured the boiling strawberry puree into a large bowl and put it in the walk-in refrigerator to cool down.

Strawberry Pie with Chocolate Crust

Once it was cool I beat manufacturing cream with a teaspoon of honey and a bit of confectioners sugar until stiff.  I then folded in half the chilled strawberry puree.  The remaining half was thinly slathered over the baked and cooled crust.  The strawberries were arranged onto the puree then I piled the strawberry whipped cream on top and

 It was a bit hit with my servers.  I only hope that they don’t eat it all.