Heritage and Humble Pie

Heritage
and
Humble Pie
by
Kevin Carunchio
Rick Benson
Nancy Masters
Jon Klusmire
Roberta Harlan
Mary Roper
David Woodruff

All text & Recipes courtesy of the County of Inyo unless otherwise noted.
Heritage and Humble Pie is available from Amazon.com

See USE NOTICE on Home Page.

Classic Pie Crust
by Pat Gunsoley of Bishop

Furnace Creek Inn Date Nut Bread
by Xanterra Parks & Resorts of Death Valley

Ingredients	1 Cup Granulate Sugar 1 Cup Brown Sugar 2 TSP Baking Powder 2 TSP Salt 1/2 Stick Butter 2 Cups Water 1 LB Finely Chopped Dates or 16 oz Date Paste/Puree 3 Cups Flour 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
Instructions	• Preheat oven to 350°F • Line baking pan with parchment paper • Cream the Sugar, Salt and Baking Soda until light and fluffy • Add Dates and Water and mix well • Add Flour and mix about 1 Minute • Add Walnuts, pour mixture in pan and Bake for 45 Minutes. Use a Toothpick to check for doneness

This favorite of Death Valley visitors has been baked at the Furnace Creek Inn since shortly after the inn opened in 1927. Dates grown locally at Furnace Creek were used for this recipe up until the mid-1990s.

Owens Valley History Vignettes
A Plea for Help	Mining in the New County	Darwin
The New County Prospers	Where Water Flows, Food Grows	It's a Rough Road That Leads to Heights of Greatness

Ms. Sandee's Rhubarb Pie
by Sandee Bilyeu of Independence, CA

Ingredients	2 Cups Sugar 1/2 Cup Flour 1 TSP Orange Zest 5+ Cups Rhubarb 3 TBSP Butter 2 Pie crusts (1 for pan and one for top)
Instructions	• Preheat oven to 425°F • Over a low heat in a Large Pan, combine all ingredients, EXCEPT for the Butter, to soften and cook the Rhubarb • Pour into pie crust, top with Butter and top with another layer of Pie Dough • Seal, cut slits in top and sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top • Bake for 40 to 50 Minutes • Watch for excessive browning and, if needed, cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil during the final 15 Minutes

I have baked this particular pie for more than 40 years and it has always been one of the highlights of the Independence 4th of July pie social held every year by the Pioneer Church United Methodist Women

Bright Ranch Blackberry Pie
by Mary Roeper of Independence, CA

Ingredients for Crust	2 Cups Flour 1/2 TSP Salt 2/3 Cup Shortening 5 to 7 TBSP Ice Cold Water
Instructions for Crust	• Sift Flour and Salt together • Cut in 1/2 Cup of Shortening with a pastry blender until like coarse crumbs, then cut in remainder of Shortening until pieces are the size of small peas • Add cold Water, 1 TBSP at a time, folding in with a fork until all is moistened. (The amount of water needed will vary depending on the humidity and the type of flour used) • Try to not overwork the crust. Use as little water as possible to hold the dough together. Form into two balls, one for the bottom and one for the top crust layer. • Roll out the bottom crust to fit a 9" pie pan
Ingredients for Filling	3 to 4 cups fresh (if possible) Blackberries 2/3 to 1 Cup of Sugar 2 TBSP of Cornstarch Dash of Salt 1 TBSP Butter
Instructions for Filling	• Preheat oven to 400°F • Fill the bottom of the pie shell with berries • Mix the Sugar, Cornstarch, and Salt and sprinkle over the Berries • Dot with Butter and place the second half of the pie crust on top and cut vents • Bake for 40 - 50 minutes • Note: the amount of Sugar depends on the tartness of the Berries
Bright Ranch Blackberry Pie - "The Story"

Owens Valley History Vignettes
Grandma's Pies	Paradise Found	Things Will Never Quite be the Same
The Giant Awakens	The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number	But Life Goes On

Pumpking Cranberry Bread
by Janice Pedersen of Independence, CA

Ingredients	3 Cups all purpose Flour 5 TSP Pumpkin Pie Spice 2 TSP Baking Soda 1.5 TSP Salt 3 Cups Granulated Sugar 3/4 of a 29 oz can of Pure Pumpkin 4 Eggs 1 Cup Vegetable Oil 1/2 Cup Orange Juice 2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 350°F • Grease and Flour Two 9" x 5" Loaf Pans • Combine Flour, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Baking Soda and Salt in a large bowl • Combine Sugar, Pumpkin, Eggs, Vegetable Oil, Orange Juice in a large mixer bowl and beat until just blended • Add Pumpkin mixture to Flour mixture, stir constantly just until moistened • Fold in Cranberries and Walnuts and spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans • Bake for 60-65 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean • Cool slightly and while still warm, remove from pan and wrap individual loaves

Owens Valley History Vignettes
Easy as Pie	If People Concentrated ...	A Lake No More
Gone Fishin'	When the Public's Right to Know is Threatened ...	It Can Happen to Anyone

Eggnog Custard Pie
by Shirley Ellsworth of Bishop, CA

Ingredients - Filling	2 Cups Eggnog 3 Eggs 2 TBSP Brandy or Rum 1 TSP Vanilla 1/3 Cup Sugar 1/8 TSP Salt 1/4 TSP Nutmeg One 9" Pie Crust
Instructions for Filling	• Preheat Oven to 350°F • Prick holes in bottom of pie crust and bake for 15 minutes • Beat Eggnog, Eggs, Brandy/Rum, Vanilla in a large bowl • Add Sugar, Salt, & Nutmeg. Mix well ad pour into crust • Bake 25 minutes and then cover with aluminum foil and bake an additional 30 - 40 minutes
Ingredients - Topping	1 Cup Whipping Cream 3 TBSP Powdered Sugar 1 TSP Brand, Rum, or Vanilla Dash of Nutmeg
Instructions for Topping	• Beat 1 Cup Whipping Cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form • Add Powdered Sugar and your choice of Brandy, Rum, or Vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form • Garnish with topping and sprinkle with Nutmeg • Tip: For Topping - chill the beaters and bowl in the freezer for the best whipped cream results

Owens Valley History Vignettes
Head "em Up, Move "em Out	Times Change for Everyone	The County Shares a Nation's Shame
Lone Pine	Big Pine	The Smaller Towns
Independence		The Story of the Pie Bird

Rhubarb Custard Pie
by Barbara Eskew of Independence, CA

Ingredients	1.5 Cups Sugar 1/4 Cup Flour 1/4 TSP Ground Nutmeg Dash of Salt 3 Eggs - Beaten 4 Cups Rhubarb - Sliced 2 TBSP Butter (for top of pie) Pastry for 2 Pie Crusts
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 400°F • Mix together Sugar, Flour, Nutmeg and Salt • Add beaten Eggs and beat until smooth • Prepare Pie Crust for 9 inch pie pan and fill with Rhubarb mixture • Dot with 2 TBSP Butter • Apply top crust in lattice pattern and bake for 50 minutes
Note:	Barbara is a descendant of the Baxter family, one of the first families in Inyo County and who have been a fixture in our community for over 100 years.

Crumb Top Apple Pie
by Kelley Williams of Bishop, CA

Ingredients	1 unbaked 10 inch pie shell 6 Golden Delicious Apples, cored, peeled and sliced 1 Cup Granulated Sugar 1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour 1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts 1/2 TSP Cinnamon 1/2 Cup Melted Butter
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 350°F • Combine Sugar, Graham Cracker Crumbs, Flour, Walnuts and Cinnamon and sprinkle mixture over Apples • Bake for at least one hour until the crust is brown and the Apples are tender when pierced with a fork • Serve with a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
Instructions for Topping	• Beat 1 Cup Whipping Cream in a small bowl until soft peaks form • Add 3 TBSP Powdered Sugar and your choice of 1 TSP Brandy, Rum, or Vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form • Garnish with topping and sprinkle with Nutmeg • Tip: For Topping - chill the beaters and bowl in the freezer for the best whipped cream results

Custard Pear Pie
by Jerry Fleming of Ridgecrest, CA

Ingredients	5 to 6 ripe or well drained canned Pears 1/2 stick Butter 4 rounded TBSP Flour 3 Eggs 1 Cup Sugar 1.5 TSP Vanilla 1 Unbaked Pie Shell
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 350°F • Slice Pears into Pie Shell and slice Butter on top of Pears • Beat together the Flour, Eggs Sugar and Vanilla, then pour over the pears • Bake for 60 minutes

Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie
by Shirley Ellsworth of Bishop, CA

Ingredients	2 Pints fresh or frozen Blueberries 2/3 Cups Sugar 1/4 Cup Cornstarch 1 TSP Fresh Lemon Zest 2 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice 1 Egg White 2 Pie Pastries 1 TSP of Sugar for the top crust
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 400°F • In a large bowl, toss Blueberries, 2/3 Cup Sugar, Conrstarch, Zest and Juice - Let Stand for 5 minutes • Fill 9 inch deep dish Pie Shell with mixture and top with second pie pastry • Crimp edges to seal, brush top shell with Egg White and sprinkle with remaining TSP of Sugar • Bake for 15 minutes • Lower Oven to 350°F and bake for and additional 45 to 50 minutes

Dutch Oven Strawberry Cobbler
by Linda Arcularius of Bishop, CA

Ingredients - Filling	4 Cups sliced fresh Strawberries 1 Cup Sugar 3 TBSP Flour 1.5 Cups Water 1 TBSP Lemon Juice 2 TBSP Melted Butter 1 TBSP Cinnamon
Ingredients - Pastry	1.75 Cups Flour 2 TBSP Sugar 2 TBSP Baking Powder 1 TSP Salt 1/4 Cup Shortening - cold 6 TBSP Heavy Whipping Cream 6 TBSP Buttermilk 3 TBSP Melted Butter
Instructions	• Preheat Oven to 350°F • Place Strawberries in a lightly greased Dutch Oven • Make syrup combining 3/4 Cup of the Sugar and 3 TBSP Flour in a bowl, add the Water and Lemon Juice, stirring well • Pour syrup over berries and bake for 15 minutes while preparing pastry • Adjust Oven to 425°F. • For Pastry - Combine Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt • Cut in the Shortenig a little at a time until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs • Stir in Cream and Buttermilk and knead dough 4 to 5 times, then roll to about 1/4" thickness on a lightly Floured surface • Cut the Dough to fit the Dutch Oven • Place pastry over hot Berries, brush with Melted Butter and bake at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes • Before serving, combine the remaining 1/4 Cup Sugar and Cinnamon and sprinkle over hot cobbler • Serve with Ice Cream
Sure, it is hard and dirty work, but some cowboy (or cowgirl) has to do it! And for generations in the Owens Valley, cowboys, cowgirls, little buckaroos, grandmas and grandpas, and friends and neighbors have gathered to do the all important work -- BRANDING CALVES. Corrals are filled with bawling calves, ropes are flying, horses are pulling calves to the fire and the pride of the ranch -- its BRAND -- is carefully applied to the squirming calf! Always exciting and certainly unpredictable, this long and proud tradition is a time where memories are made, stories of times past are shared, and the friendships of neighbors are strengthened and cherished. And when the dust has settled, the dinner bell is rung, and the crew gathers around for the "branding feast!" Treasured family recipes have been lovingly prepared, and hungry and tired cow hands enjoy their favorite buckaroo chow! And certainly one of their favorites is the cowboy version of pie -- COBBLER!! Warm and filled with sweetened fruit and topped with buttery biscuit type crust, it is the way to a cowboy's heart! The word origin of cobbler dates back to 1250 - 1300. Middle English cobelere, or to cobel is also known as a shoemaker, it is believed the patching of biscuit dough on top of the early dish was hence given the name cobbler.

The following recipe is NOT part of Heritage and Humble Pie

01/23

All Soul's Eve Pumpkin Pie
by The Pigmy Packer (aka Ray DeLea) of Lakewood, CA
webmaster of owensvalleyhistory.com

This is one of my "all time" favorite pies.
This is an old colonial recipe I gleened from my library.
I could eat it every day.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Puree	• 2 whole large pumpkins – Preferably Japanese kabocha pumpkins (best flavor)
Instructions for Pumpkin Puree	• Cut out the stem of the pumpkins and discard. • Cut the pumpkin into eighths • Scoop away and discard any seeds and fibers from the pumpkin pieces • Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350°F oven until the pumpkin is fork-tender, about 45 minutes. They should be nice and light golden brown when done. NOTE: DO NOT steam the pumpkin. It will introduce excess moisture that you will have to remove before the puree can be of any use. • Peel the skin off the pumpkin and discard. Place the pumpkin in a bowl for pureeing. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. An immersion blender will also work (this is what I use). Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill. • Puree the pumpkin until smooth. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it over cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to get rid of the excess liquid.) • Place the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done. • You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like or store it in the freezer for later use • To store in the freezer, place the pumpkin in plastic bags, one cup per storage bag (then it’s premeasured for use). Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them. It can be kept almost indefinitely.
Ingredients for Filling	1 - 9" deep pie shell 3 Cups Pumpkin Puree 3 oz Granulated Sugar 3 oz packed Dark Brown Sugar 1/2 TSP Salt 1/2 TSP Nutmeg 1/4 TSP Ground Cloves 1/4 TSP Ground Cinnamon (use the real stuff - Ceylon) 1 TSP freshly ground Ginger Root 3 Large Eggs 1 Cup Heavy Cream 3 TBSP Dark Jamacian Spirits of Rum
Instructions for Filling	• Preheat Oven to 425°F • Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and wisk together. • In a separate bowl mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, heavy cream and rum • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly using a hand blender • Place the mixture into the prepared pie shell • Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F • Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 60 minutes or until filling is set - (a knife inserted into the pie comes out clean) • Completely cool the pie on a rack and then add 3 tbsp more of rum over the surface of the pie. More Rum may be added to suit your taste. • Refrigerate the pie over night. Trust me, the pie tastes incredibly better if you let it set over night.

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This page was last updated on 04 January 2023