So, I didn't win the apple pie contest. And I really didn't deserve to. You should have seen all the magnificent pies, those beautiful crusts, and the proud bakers! It was amazing! I was so amazed on seeing all the competition that I didn't even remember to take a picture of my sad little pie among true champions. At any rate, entering the contest has been a really fun journey, and I think I learned a few things about baking a great pie that is really tasty, and that my family seemed to really enjoy. The overall feedback from the judges was that the apples were a little too firm and the crust was overworked. But they did say that the overall flavor was really nice. I guess it's a bit subjective. I like my apples to be firmer and not so mushy, and I put a lot of emphasis on keeping the bottom crust very crisp, which wasn't quite as important to the experts. Oh well. Will I be back? Only time will tell. But I do encourage everyone to give the Topsfield Fair contest a go, and enjoy the process!
For now, I'm happy to be getting back to cooking my savory treats, and we'll hear much more of those as the fall has set in big time, and colder weather means more butter and a little more hearty fare. Stay tuned...
