Helen Carnes' Delicious Lemon Pie
Sourdough adventures, family Disney magic, and the old-fashioned lemon meringue pie that cooled down a hot summer kitchen
Week One: Sourdough Mama & Baker
I’m often astonished at how frequently I make my life much more difficult than necessary. The last couple of weeks have been nuts. I decided to start making sourdough everything, which requires becoming a momma to a starter and taking care of it daily until it’s strong enough to stand on its own. But it only lasts a week on its own; then you’re back to stewarding the starter to keep it with you and prevent it from dying away. The hard work does pay off when it produces the most delicious rustic bread, breakfast treats, and pizza crusts you can imagine. Getting there is a slog, but it was worth it! Each sourdough creation was delicious, beautiful, and gut-friendly. I’ve bought plenty of sourdough loaves and gluten-free bread, guaranteed to be easy on your tummy, but with no luck in reducing the bloating or stomach pain. Homemade sourdough is different. Once I had a rhythm going and enough bowls for new feedings and discards, it started to come together. The trick to sourdough baked goods is the time needed to care for and maintain your starter. Check out this guide from King Arthur. It will help you keep your starter alive and flourishing.
I plan to make another pizza crust, this time in honor of the 2024 Paris Olympics. For those of you who have visited the City of Lights, you might recall the ham and cheese baguette sandwiches available from street vendors. Inspired by this Parisian classic, I’ll top my pizza with ham, Gruyère cheese, Dijon mustard, and butter. I’m certain this pizza will transport me back to the flavors of France!
Week Two: Disney Family Trip
Last week, our family gathered for a small reunion at Disneyland. We began our stay at the Disneyland Hotel in the Frontier Tower. After everyone arrived and unpacked, we headed to the pool for lounging and cocktails while the kids sped down the monorail waterslides. Later, we walked around Downtown Disney, dined at Naples Italian Restaurant, and then shopped at World of Disney. My sister Julie and our niece Hope came home with matching ear headbands featuring a replica of the original Main Entrance parking lot marquee. The following day was ‘all day’ Disneyland. We visited all nine theme lands, traversed 100 acres, and went on every open ride. The group dined on Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs, Carnation Cafe Fried Chicken, Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad, Tiki Bar Dole Whips, Popcorn Buckets, and Cotton Candy. We connected with more family members who joined us later that day, then wrapped the day watching Disney’s Pixar Fest fireworks. Fifteen hours later, we fell into our beds after riding the Monorail back to our hotel.
Surprisingly, the older generation kept up with the younger generation. Even those two kids pictured in the photos below, 50 years later, were able to keep step…for the most part! My 82-year-old mother had a successful, active day, too, and experienced every ride we took. Well, she did miss one. Space Mountain. That’s probably for the best!
I thought it would be fun to share old photos of a trip to Disney from the early 70’s. My parents and my Grandma Blair owned two apartments on Haster St. in Anaheim. We were at Disney a lot as kids. The photos below are from a trip we took with my Grandma Baker, who was visiting from Wisconsin.
Disney has grown by leaps and bounds since we were kids. Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Mad Tea Party Tea Cups rides are still there and still look the same, but now there’s so much more to see, imagine, explore, and enjoy.
Week Three: Bake a Lemon Pie
My mom and I love lemon meringue pie. She made it for my birthdays when I was little. We were craving it, so we decided that I would bake Mom Carnes’ Lemon Pie and she would make fried chicken. The only challenge? It was a hot, hot, hot outside. So I turned my AC down low, and it did its best to cool the kitchen so the crust would cooperate. It was more challenging than I expected, but the crust endured. The pie was lemony, sweet, and tart, the meringue light as air, and the crust oh-so buttery!
Crust
If you’re pressed for time or don’t feel like baking a pie crust, pick up a prebaked crust from the grocery store. To make a crust for this lemon pie, follow these directions, courtesy of King Arthur. I use this recipe often. It’s easy to make and bake, buttery and delicious.
Serves 10-12
Time
10 minutes prep
1 hour in the fridge
40 minutes to prebake
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl,
Add the shortening, working it in until the mixture is evenly crumbly.
Add the butter, then work it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter. The mixture should be very uneven, with large chunks of butter interspersed with smaller ones.
Add 2 tablespoons of water, then toss to combine.
Add enough additional water to make a chunky mixture. It should barely hold together when you squeeze a handful.
Shape the dough into a disk 1” thick, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough to 12” (for a 9” pie). Place in the pie dish, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line the crust with parchment paper cut to fit your pie pan. Fill two-thirds full with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 minutes. Place on a baking stone if you have one. Remove from the oven and lift out the liner and weights.
Prick the bottom with a fork (to prevent bubbles), then return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until it’s golden all over. Cool.
Filling
An old-fashioned filling, the kind your grandparents will remember. It’s creamy and silky, pale yellow, and more like a pudding.
Time: 15 minutes
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
2 cups sugar
3 cups boiling water
1 cup canned evaporated milk
2 lemons, juiced and zested
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp. butter
pinch of salt
Instructions
In a saucepan, whisk the flour and sugar until incorporated. Add water and milk, stirring constantly. Turn the heat to medium-high and boil for 5 minutes or until thick. Remove from the heat, then add the butter, egg yolks, lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then pour into your pie dish.
Meringue
Time: 5 minutes
Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
Beat egg whites in a mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over the pie filling, sealing the edges of the crust.
Bake
Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Kitchen Tools: Cooling Rack
Instructions
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until the meringue is golden brown. Cool.
Pairings
This lemon pie tastes delightful after a dinner of rich, crunchy fried chicken, a lemon Parmesan red leaf lettuce salad, and a Gruner Veltliner from Hungary, whose acidity cuts through the richness of the fried chicken.
If you’re looking for a dessert wine to pair with the lemon pie, pour yourself a glass of Champagne, Prosecco, or Moscato, then toast to your pie-baking success.
This was a wonderful gathering of many good food items. The sour dough pizza and waffles were looking so good as well as the lemon pie
It’s great to go back in my life to see pictures of my family and remember all the great memories, stories, and get togethers we had
What a wonderful family history lesson. Thank you