Despite her flagrant act of trespassing, I greatly admire Goldilocks. After all, being particular and finding something that is unequivocally ‘just right’ takes perseverance. I searched for two years to find
the perfect replacement sofas for our living room — ones that were the right length, the right color, that were constructed with child and pet friendly fabric, and, above all, were reasonably priced. Admittedly
every single item I purchase is held to the ‘Goldilocks standard’ and likewise, every single baked good I sell is the end result of a multitude of prior trial runs judged first by myself and then a handful of willing taste-testers to ascertain whether it’s ‘just right.’ A friend who is a fellow transplanted Long Islander recently brought her mother along to the farm stand for a visit. When I encounter someone from New York
(especially someone who is Italian), the subject invariably turns to the magical institution of the small, independently-owned bakeries there and the vast array of items they offer that are seemingly unavailable here. The scent of warm butter and sugar that envelops you upon entering is a unique experience that is somewhat replicated for me when I’m baking sugar cookies, but is simply indescribable to outsiders who have never experienced a ‘real bakery’ as we New Yorker’s affectionately refer to it. When the conversation ensued to which items of fruit I use to bake with and whether I bake with pears, I had to admit that I had never contemplated using pears before. When I think about pears I can’t help but chuckle because evidently the ripening process of pears means that they go from being bricks to mush in a matter of minutes and thus finding one that’s perfectly ripe and ready to eat when you are is seemingly
impossible. One week after her visit to Pennsylvania a lovely note and this pie recipe arrived from my friend’s mother.
The next time you find yourself staring at a bowl of pears willing them to ripen quicker so that you can enjoy them you will at least have the peace of mind of knowing that if you miss the 10 minute window of pear perfection there will be ones ready for pie shortly thereafter.
Coincidentally, my husband disagrees that the sofas I purchased without him are the quintessential sofas worthy of a Goldilocks’ designation. According to him, they’re not wide enough to comfortably nap on thus supporting Goldilocks’ theory that in order to find something that is ‘just right’ according to your own standards it is necessary to test it out for yourself. For the record, if any pear growers would like to name a variety ‘Quintessential’ or ‘Goldilocks’ I’d buy them in a heartbeat.
Patricia Caputo’s Perfect Pear Pie
Ingredients:3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour2/3 cups white sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup half & half cream4-5 ripe pears that are peeled and cut into slices
Instructions:Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; Cut the butter into thin slices and add to the bottom of a 9′ unbaked pie shell; Placed the peeled pears (say that 5 times quickly!) into the pie shell;
Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and then slowly blend in the half & half; Pour the wet mixture over the pears;
Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
Enjoy!Felicia Fisher is the founder of the Black Buggy Baking Company and lives in Oley, Pa. with her husband and three children who are all willing taste-testers.
For more information on what Felicia’s baking up visit her web page www.blackbuggybakingcompany.com or e-mail her at blackbuggybakingcompany@yahoo.com.
