Kate McDermott laughing over pie

If you haven't heard of Kate McDermott, you're missing out. I first learned about her from a few Seattle friends who had taken her pie-making classes and insisted that it changed the way they thought about crust. And these are kitchen savvy people. Then I read somewhere that Ruth Reichl deemed Kate's crust an "absolutely perfect crust." That's about the time I started stalking Kate. I'd go to her website to see if she was planning on teaching in the Bay Area. No luck. I started following her @katemcdermott on twitter to see if she'd give away hints there. Then I finally wrote her an email asking if she'd consider teaching a class the weekend I was going to be up in Seattle in August. And voila--a few weeks later, I heard that she'd decided to do a shortened version of her regular class at Dianne's Market Kitchen as a demo. I signed up immediately. And like the rest of the folks who have written testimonials, I'm forever changed when it comes to pie.

So today, with her blessing, I'm going to share with you her infamous recipe and all of her fabulous tips. And of course some photos so you feel like you were along for the ride. Kate's come to the conclusion that there are three types of pie people in this world: makers, eaters, and seekers. After taking this class, you can literally be all three at one time. First things first: if you actually sit and listen to Kate, she's incredibly wise. Pie or no pie. While pie crust can make people uptight and anxious, Kate has a calming 'everything will turn out fine' demeanor. She says about the crust: "Just feel it...we all know how to do this stuff." Later in class she states how "it's simple--otherwise we still wouldn't all be doing it." And my favorite Kate quote: "Everything turns out fine in pie." Ah, a breath of fresh air in an often complex pie-making world.

Kate and Dianne showing off the amazing peach pie

The other thing that struck me immediately about the way Kate approaches pie is that she sets an intention for each pie. If you practice yoga, you'll recognize the practice of setting an intention before you begin: sending out some good vibes to someone struggling or someone that needs a little extra light in their day. Kate does this with each pie she makes. Regardless of whether or not this is a little too touchy-feely for you, it's a great reminder to be conscious and aware when we set out to bake pie. After Kate set an intention to send good thoughts to a friend struggling with cancer, I knew this would be a special class. This wasn't just a peach pie. This was a peach pie baked with love, skill, and deliberate thoughtfulness and care.

Setting an intention for her pie

Now for a few nuts and bolts. Where to begin? Ingredients and equipment seems like a logical start.

Ingredients and Equipment
Kate uses King Arthur Flour, Kerry Gold Irish Butter (she buys it from Trader Joe's--the best deal in town, she insists), and leaf lard she orders from a small farm in Pennsylvania. And perhaps most importantly, she insists on using only the most superior fruit you can buy. That way, you don't need to add much sugar at all. In our class, we used Frog Hollow Cal Red peaches and nothing more than a little sugar, flour, salt, tapioca, and nutmeg. It turned out absolutely dreamy.

As far as equipment, Kate uses either an 8-inch or 9-inch pan and admits to loving many kinds of pans--from ceramic to glass. She does advise, however, to stay away from those disposable aluminum pie pans because they interfere with the even temperature of the pie crust. Kate also uses a dowel pin and a pastry cloth to roll out her dough. You can find both at your local food supply store.

After discussing ingredients and equipment, Kate began to speak about pie in general, and the elements that make up a good pie:

4 Elements of a Pie Filling:
1) Superior Fruit
2) Thickener
3) Seasoning
4) Sweetener

Pie Filling: Fruit
With any good fruit pie, there are some considerations that will make a ho-hum pie extraordinary. Kate weighs in:

• Quantity: O.K., so this tip is genius in my opinion. I always struggle with how much fruit it will take to make my pie filling. Kate uses a method where she takes whole peaches (or apples, or whatever you're using) and literally places them in the pie pan. Once it's full, you've got enough fruit. In our case with this pie, I believe we used 4 large peaches for our 8-inch dish.
• To peel or not to peel: Kate doesn't bother. Ever. I love this about her.
• Choosing the best fruit: With peaches, Kate says you want to see gold coming out of the rim (not green) of the peach--that way, you know it's gotten all of the sun and nutrients available to it. And when you're choosing a peach, a heavy peach means it has more sugar.

New Trick to Figure out How Many Peaches to Include

As we watched Kate make, form, and roll out her crust she gave many invaluable tips that I've used since and have seen great improvements in my pies. Here they are, in no particular order:

Kate's Crust Tips:

• Cold, cold, cold: Everything must be cold. I was surprised to learn that Kate not only uses cold butter and lard, but she also keeps her butter, her rolling pin, her bowl--even the pastry cloth in the freezer.
• Adding water to your dough: Kate says two things: it's not precise, and go slow. She mentions a 3-2-1 formula where she adds 3 Tbsp. of water to begin and advises to just quickly move the dough around (you're not doing a thorough mixing here) and press together to see if it holds. If it doesn't, add 2 Tbsp. more. A good rule of thumb: the colder the fat, the more water you’re going to need. And an important side-note: Don’t get ice into the dough! When asked if she likes to err on the wet or dry side with her pie crust, Kate says she'd much rather err on the wet side (apparently, Ruth Reichl agrees).
• Forming your dough: Cut your dough ball in half and you should see marbling. You want two “chubby disks” (about 4 inches by 1.5 inch). Wrap your disks in dough and then actually shape them how you'd like while they're in the plastic wrap (this was a revelation to me).
• Rolling out your dough: After chilling your "chubby disks" for at least an hour, you want to take them out and gently tap them with your rolling pin. Kate says this is to kind of jar it awake and let it know you mean business. You want to put a nice amount of flour down on your pastry cloth, and roll out slowly (without worrying about cracks) from fingertips to palms, out and back. Brush off the extra flour as you go with a pastry brush. Kate says you want the pie dough "as thin as glass and only as large as it needs to be." That's how you know when you're done.

Forming Our Pie!

And now that you're inundated with tips and advice, here is the recipe for Kate's award-winning crust. I will say that nothing could ever replace sitting across from her and watching her make it herself. And I look forward to one day actually taking her longer participation course. Maybe if we all start stalking her and sending her emails, she'll decide to take this pie-crust madness on the road. Until then...

Kate's Infamous Pie Crust

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached White Flour (red bag)
8 Tbsp. leaf lard, cut into various small pieces, pea to walnut size
8 Tbsp. Irish butter, cut into various small pieces, pea to walnut size
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6-8 Tbsp. ice water (this is an average--Kate's used anywhere between 3-15 Tbsp. at a time)

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients except the ice water in a large, cold bowl.
2. With clean hands, blend the mixture together until it looks like course meal with some lumps in it. Lumps=flaky pie!
3. Sprinkle ice water over mixture and stir lightly with a fork.
4. Squeeze a handful of dough together. Mix in a bit more water if it doesn't keep together.
5. Divide the dough in half and make two chubby disks about 5 inches across. Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
6. Take out one disk and put on a well-floured board. Sprinkle some flour onto the top of the disk and thump the top several times. Turn it over and thump the other side.
7. Sprinkle more flour onto the top of the crust if needed to keep the pin from sticking and roll the crust out from the center in all directions. When it's an inch or so larger than your pie pan, fold the dough over the top of the pin and lay it in the pie pan carefully.
8. Don't worry if the crust needs to be patched together; just paint a little water where it needs to be patched and "glue" on the patch pieces.
9. Put the filling in the pie and repeat the process with the other disk.

Notes on Filling and Baking: fill with your favorite fruit filling. For a peach pie similar to the one we made in Seattle, use adequate peaches, a pinch of salt, 2.5 swipes of nutmeg (this is the one spot where she seemed quite precise), 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 1 1/2 tsp. quick cooking tapioca. Then, crimp edges and cut vent holes. Paint egg white wash on top of pie and sprinkle with a little sugar. Then bake for 15 minutes at 425 F. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 35 minutes more.

Then, as Kate says, "Eat Pie, Be Happy."
For more pie musings from Kate, you can check out her blog Art of Pie for more pie musings.

Like any conference or convention, there were highs and lows at the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC). For me, one of the highs was getting to sample food from Seattle's best food trucks--they parked outside of the conference location one day and we had free reign to sample, chat with the vendors and chefs, and learn more about mobile food in Seattle. From ice cream to crepes, tacos to schwarma--here were my favorites:

Anita's Crepes

Anita's Crepes actually has a brick and mortar location in Ballard, but they were at IFBC representing their Lemon Sugar Crepe. Working quickly and quietly, they churned out crepe after crepe to hungry conference participants. For me, this was a welcome change from some of the heavier fare and the beer we'd all been guzzling. The crepe was incredibly light and had a subtle crust of lemon sugar, served with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a lemon slice. Perfection.

Molly Moons

I've been to Molly Moons a few times before while visiting my sister in Seattle. They have a truck, but they also have a few free-standing locations in Capital Hill and Wallingford. If you're a Salted Caramel fan, this is the place for you. I've never tasted a richer, more intensely caramel flavor then what they're doing at Molly Moons. From a girl who can eat her weight in ice cream, I generally have to stop after a few bites. At the conference, I also had the chance to try the special Olive Oil flavor and the Scout Mint (as in, Girl Scout Mint Cookie). The Scout Mint was pleasant enough, but the Olive Oil ice cream was very special--the sort of thing you try with friends and do a lot of nodding but no one's quite sure how to talk about it. It was an uber-rich vanilla ice cream spiked with the earthy, floral notes of a very fine olive oil. I hope they decide to carry this one over at the shop. If so, it'll be my first stop-off next time I'm in town.

Dante's Inferno Dogs

Up until IFBC, I had never tried a hot dog with cream cheese before. And I have to say, I'll never look at hot dogs the same. While I was too stuffed to have an entire Dante's Inferno Dog, I had many bites from friends and we all compared notes. Dante's story is a great one--after moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1995 and suffering a few failed business ventures, he decided on dogs. The rest is history. He's infamous with the late night bar crowd, but is also well-loved around town for his classic (and not-so-classic) dogs and quiet, friendly demeanor. If I lived in Seattle, I'd hunt him down frequently. And in the meantime, I'm going to start using cream cheese much more liberally when it comes to dogs and sausages. Who knew?

El Camion

El Camion has three locations in Seattle and folks like Tom Douglas and publications including the Seattle Weekly and The Seattle Times have raved about the tacos. I had the chance to try the chicken mole taco -- I'm a huge fan of mole, especially when it's done right. And El Camion nailed it. The mole was warmly spiced with hints of cinnamon and pepper. Fabulous spicy salsas, too. And an extremely friendly, exuberant staff. Folks were talking about these tacos well into the afternoon.

Hallava Falafel

The schwarma that I had at Hallava Falafel may just possibly have been the best schwarma I've ever tasted. I've previously reserved that honor for this dumpy spot off of University Ave. in Denver that I loved as a college student, but Hallava has pushed them to second place. The folks behind the truck decided to open in 2006 in the Georgetown neighborhood after realizing how difficult it was to get a quality lunch for under $10. The schwarma itself was flavorful and spicy--slow roasted lamb and beef accompanied by Russian red relish, spinach and cabbage mix, tzatziki a wild Armenian pickle, and their "super secret spice mix". They make all of their sauces, salads, and falafel from scratch and keep their menu relatively simple to keep costs down and keep customers coming back.

Skillet

If you tied me down and asked me to name my favorite food truck that day, Skillet is it. The mini burger of grass-fed beef, arugula, bacon jam, and cambozola cheese on a little soft bun kind of blew my mind. Apparently they do poutine as well, and there's nothing like a good poutine to start the day off right. If you're local (or just visiting), check their rotating menu and calendar for specials. On his website, owner and executive chef, Joshua Henderson, notes: "we hope to create a business that sustains itself through impeccably executed food, simply done, and regionally relevant." From one small burger, I can attest to the fact that they are--without a doubt--achieving their goal.

My sister Rachael and her boyfriend Matt waiting in the showroom for the tour to begin

My mom was right when she mentioned no one was quite as excited about the chocolate tour as I was. I found myself almost elbowing small children to get to the front of the line so my view of the machines and the tempering process wouldn't be obstructed. I tried to keep my cool when they passed around the cocoa butter, assuring myself I'd get a turn to feel it as well. For someone who loves chocolate and who was already a big Theo fan, this was a major afternoon. And my family was kind enough to oblige when I told them that, although we only had two days in Seattle, this was how we were spending our Tuesday afternoon.

The tour began in a small room where our fearless guide led us through a brief history of Theo Chocolate, the only U.S. fair-trade, organic bean-to bar chocolate factory. In addition to many samples and a tour through the factory, we learned all about how Theo actually yields a chocolate bar from the cocoa pod--the beginning of it all.

A cocoa pod is actually a fruit with a leathery rind about 3 cm thick, and is a bit smaller than an American football. It's filled with cocoa seeds and mucilaginous pulp. The pulp kind of looks like wet cotton and it plays a key role in the fermentation of the chocolate (did you know chocolate is a fermented food?). To simplify drastically, with time and heat throughout the fermentation process, the white pulp disappears leaving only the dead heated seeds. The seeds are then dried and become known as beans--the raw material for the Theo magic to begin. There are apparently about 30-50 seeds in each pod, and it takes 80-90 beans to make a 3 oz. bar of chocolate.

The Process: One Hour Distilled Down to a Paragraph

Roasted beans, the Winnower machine, the tempering machine, quality control

In the factory itself, there are a number of machines and steps that are involved in creating the final product. They use a European roaster (there are less than 100 of these left in the world) which drives off moisture. Our tour guide explained that they do a partial roast to begin with and then send the beans into the "Winnower" machine where they are slammed against a steel plate to allow for the husks to separate, and are then moved through different meshes and through an air stream that blows the husk away from the recently smashed nibs. Then the cleaned nibs go back in the roaster to further develop the flavor. After this, off to the Ball Mill which whirls the beans at high speed so that they can be broken down and eventually turned into chocolate liqueur. They add evaporated cane juice, and 6500 pounds of chocolate goes into one holding tank where it is eventually taken to their tempering machines and out into individual molds.

Flavors of Theo Chocolate we Sampled:

Samples, samples, and more samples

I'm not sure that most people are used to describing the nuances of chocolate in the same way that we often do with wine or even with coffee. But our tour guide encouraged us to mention the first word that came to our minds when we sampled different bars. People began to loosen up after a few minutes and really explore their palates and their personal preferences. Here is a sampling of what we tried:

• Lime Coriander Confection: I loved this little square. It had a subtle, spring citrus flavor and just a hint of coriander. I was surprised to learn each confection and caramel is still hand-decorated.
• Pink Salted Vanilla Caramel: My mom bought some of these to take home. I can't honestly say that the pink salt adds any different flavor profile than regular salt, but they sure are pretty.
• Lemon Verbena Confection: Spring time in one bite. Vibrant, bright lemon flavor enrobed in dark chocolate.
• Milk Chocolate Chai Bar: While I much prefer dark to milk chocolate, I ended up falling in love with this bar and bringing one home. At Theo, their milk chocolate has at least 40% cocoa, so it still seems very rich and complex. I loved the warm spice flavor profile.
• Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut Bar: And I bought two of these. Apparently they are seasonal so I was concerned they may go away forever. If you like coconut, try and get your hands on one.
• Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond: A really classic combination of organic cherries and rich dark chocolate studded generously with almonds.
• 91% Dark Chocolate Bar: This blew me away. I've tried 95% chocolate before and it just screamed baking chocolate--bitter, leaving your mouth with a dry, unpleasant taste. But Theo's 91% bar was not at all bitter (although not all that sweet either). The perfect bar for a dark chocolate purist.
• Nib Brittle (70%): I learned on the tour that people either love or hate cocoa nibs. I happen to love them, but by the looks on the faces of many of the folks around me, that's not always the case. This bar has organic, roasted nibs enrobed in a crunchy, slightly sweet brittle.

The Future of Chocolate in the U.S.

The tour closed with some interesting information that I wasn't aware of. Chocolate production in the U.S. is a really new endeavor--spanning only the last 250 years. And, like anything, the standards are constantly changing in regards to the percentage of cocoa required, fillers allowed etc. I was shocked to learn that currently commercial products only have to be 10% cocoa to call themselves chocolate. Yikes. What comprises the rest? Check out your average grocery store aisle and see if you can locate the chocolate chips often labeled "chocolate baking chips"--they're mostly milk solids and sugar. So Theo's whole point is that life is too short to eat bad quality chocolate and, in remaining firm with such high standards, they'll hopefully help shape the future landscape of chocolate standards and regulation. On their website they note:

At Theo, we believe there is no luxury in products that benefit us today, while jeopardizing future generations ability to meet their needs. When you taste our chocolate you will experience our passion and integrity in every luscious bite.

So like most things, not all chocolate is created equal. And I've become a little obsessed with reading labels and researching the chocolate that I purchase since taking the Theo tour. The name Theo originates from the Greek name of the Cacao tree -- Theobroma Cacao or "Food of the Gods." They're living up to the name.

Two weeks of camping has a way of simplifying one's needs. Or, at least, it should. I must admit that I was rather taken with a supply run at REI's flagship store in Seattle. Amazing what we can schlep along with us as essential gear, but gone are the days -- thank goodness! -- of wet wool, freeze-dried food and heavy tents. And remember the taste of water after sloshing around in one of those metal canteens?

I was more than happy to wander back into civilization as we made our way home. If you're planning a trip yourself to the Pacific Northwest, here are two places worth visiting. I'll post more once I get back to San Francisco, but for now, a taste of my travels....

TOP POT DOUGHNUTS

It's only natural that a city obsessive about its coffee would develop a gourmet doughnut chain. Top Pot Doughnut already has three shops scattered in Seattle, and a few more will likely pop up soon. Known for their sleek modern take on the donut stop, Top Pot is a place for lounging as much as dunking.

Their downtown location on 5th Avenue has a spacious mezzanine, outdoor seating and an onsite coffee roasting facility. You'll need to get there early in the day for a taste of their famous pumpkin doughnuts and their much-loved, fast-moving apple fritters.

Top Pot leans toward classic interpretations of cake and old-fashioned doughnuts. I ordered a dozen and managed to take two bites of every single one in the box. I loved the chocolate topped with raspberry icing and the old-fashioned frosted, but the good, ol' jelly doughnut sprinkled with powdered sugar won my heart. And yes, the apple fritter deserves all that fuss. Selling out of their "hand-forged" doughnuts isn't a hard thing to do when they taste as good as these.

Top Pot Doughnuts
2124 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 728-1966

VOODOO DOUGHNUT

Just down the skid from my favorite bookstore in the world, Powell's "City of Books" in Portland, is my new favorite doughnut shop. If you're in the neighborhood of Burnside and 3rd Avenue, then be sure to stop in at Voodoo Doughnut for the pure glee and fun of it. Where else could you get a massive 10-inch, chocolate-covered Cock & Balls? Or a Captain Crunch Doughnut? Or the incredibly impressive Maple Bacon Bar? The decor is cheeky-grunge, the hours are 24/7, and the revolving donut display will hypnotize you with its colorful promises.

If you have time, you can get married in their wedding chapel or, like me, just settle for a soothing voodoo doll pierced through the belly with a pretzel stick. I can now assure you that biting off the head of your ex-boss is even more satisfying than sticking it with straight pins.

A special shout-out to their collection of vegan doughnuts. Honestly, the only vegan baked good I've ever recommended. As someone who's always trying to figure out how to slip an egg yolk and/or butter into my recipes, this is not a frivolous compliment.

Voodoo Doughnut
22 SW 3rd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 241-4704

I'll be back in San Francisco in a few days. It'd be great to hear from all of you about your own favorite local sources for dunkers and sinkers. Any suggestions?