Croissant in the City

I'm a Pennsylvania girl, 100%. I grew up
there, went to school there and then left there. I miss many things about
Pennsylvania, but after years of frigid, snowy, dreary winters, I have no
desire to live there anymore. 

However, every year when fall rolls around, I become nostalgic. I yearn for true sweater
weather, school supplies and leaves that are magically set on fire in the
deepest hues of red and orange. I crave, and this year almost cried for, real
apple cider. The crisp, raw apple cider flavor is so bold in my taste memory.

Roadside stands with farm fresh produces. Bulging baskets
and wooden crates full of zucchini, tomatoes, beets, carrots, and pumpkins,
dance around in my head as I drive by another cactus or a sprawling housing
development.

The smell of grapes sweetens the air, enticing you to buy
them and make them into delicious jelly or throw them into a tasty fall salad.

The Central Market, in Lancaster, PA, reminds me of trips
there with my grandmother. Peanut butter taffy, fresh meat and eggs, sweet
bologna, lard chips, produces that have been pulled from the ground only hours
before, and shoo fly pie.

Shoo Fly Pie, you say? Yes! Shoo Fly Pie. If you aren’t from
the Pennsylvania Dutch area, you probably won’t know what I mean when I ask, do
you like wet-bottom or dry-bottom?

Today, in a desperate attempt to reclaim my east coast fall
palette, I broke out a Shoo Fly Pie. The rich molasses is moist and smooth.
Topped with a crumble similar to the top of a coffee cake. I took the pie to
Sunday dinner at my parents, both east coasters, who love Shoo Fly Pie.

“You got it,” my dad proclaimed.

And you can have it too. It’s a simple pie to make and
perfect for a fall dinner.

Grab your recipe for your favorite pie crust. You’ll only
need a bottom shell, so save the rest for a tasty, quick weekday crostada.

Mix for crumble topping:

¾ cup brown sugar

4 T. butter

1 cup flour

pinch of ground ginger

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Filling:

1 cup of molasses

¾ cup of boiling water

1 egg beaten

1 t. baking soda

Make your pie crust, roll out and line the bottom of a 9-inch
pie plate. Place in freezer to chill.

Take all the dry ingredients for crumble topping and
combine. Cut in butter so that crumble is coarse. Reserve ½ cup of crumble
mixture that will be placed on the top of the pie.

Boil water. Combine with baking soda. Beat egg and add to
molasses. Add water and baking soda mixture to egg and molasses mixture. Add
the crumble mixture and mix to incorporate.

Pour mixture into the pie shell. Top with the ½ cup of
reserved crumble. Do not stir these crumbles into the mixture.

Place in oven at 375° for 10 minutes, then lower the oven
temperature to 350° for 35-45 minutes, or until the pie is set and does not
jiggle in the middle.

Allow to cool. I like to serve it a little warm, (the molasses is so
gooey good) but it’s also delicious room temperature the next day for
breakfast.

And for the record, if you ever run into someone from PA Dutch
Country, wet-bottom Shoo Fly Pie is the best.

Song of the Day: "Lake Michigan" by: Rogue Wave