Mmmm, Pie!

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HURON — It’s that time of year again! The Family Activities Night at the Park events came to a tasty close  with the “Pie in the Park” contest. Pie and ice cream was handed out, entertainment by Greg Hager on the stage, a table of local goods set up by the Huron Famers’ Market and a summer evening to remember held on Thursday night at Campbell Park.
As announced by Deannie LeRoux and Lisa Wolf, at the  annual event being sponsored by the Fair City Sertoma Club, the first place winner of the pie contest was Michael Olsen’s apple pie,  Sandra Uecker followed in second place with apple pie. In third place, Eva Sande prepared a peach pie, Carol Olsen’s ruby red pie took fourth place, and 11-year-old Ava Ulvestad landed in fifth place with her apple pie.
“I was so pleased when they asked me to announce the winners, I’ve been doing Pie in the Park since 1993,” LeRoux said. “Tailgate donated 15 pies last year, I asked if I could buy them and was told, ‘No, I won’t sell them to you, but I’ll give them to you,’ which was a wonderful thing.”
This year the pies were purchased from Tailgate and they brought another 15 pies to be handed out to the public at Thursday night’s festivities.
This year’s judges, Connie Hofer, Diane London and Ted Haeder, had nine delicious looking, hand-made pies to choose from. Judging took place at the First Presbyterian Church Thursday afternoon before the event.
“What a sweet treat to get to come and taste pies,” London said with a smile.
As the night came to a close, a wonderful atmosphere filled the park with smiling faces of members from the community who participated in the many activities, and enjoyed some pie.
“We want to thank the people who made the pies to enter the contest this year,” LeRoux said. “They were all beautiful pies.”
Recipes used by winning entrants in the pie baking contest include:

First Place
Fresh Apple Pie
Michael Olsen
Pastry for 10-inch two-crust pie:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shortening
1/2 cup ice cold water
1 egg
1 Tablespoon vinegar
Mix flour, salt and shortening until crumbly. Whisk egg and water and add to flour mixture. Divide into two balls. Chill for 30 minutes.
Filling:
10 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
2 Tablespoons butter
Roll out crust and fill pie. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of honey over the apples. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes, then 375 F for 55 minutes.

Second Place
Apple Pie
Sandra Uecker
Crust:
3 cups flour
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
8-9 Tablespoons water
Mix flour, shortening and salt until crumbly. Mix in about 8 Tablespoons water and mix until it forms a ball. Knead the dough until it is smooth and does not crack. Add more water 1/2 teaspoon at a time if dough seems dry.

Filling:
7-8 cups thinly sliced tart apples
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons butter
Mix apples with lemon juice. In a small bowl mix sugar, flour, and spices, then mix with apples until all are coated. Place in pie pan and dot with butter. Cut slits in top crust. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Reduce to 350 F and bake for another 40-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

Third Place
Peach Pie
Eva Sande
Filling:
3 cups fresh peaches
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon butter
Toss peaches with dry ingredients in large bowl.
Crust:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 Tablespoons vinegar
Cut shortening into flour and salt mixture. Stir in vinegar and milk, mixing just enough until dough holds together.
Preheat oven to 450 F and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 F for 40 minutes.

Fourth Place
Ruby Red Pie
Carol Olsen
Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, soft
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup ice cold water
2 Tablespoons vinegar
Combine flour and salt, cut in shortening until crumbly. Whisk egg, vinegar and water, pour into crumbled mixture. Blend well. Divide into two balls. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Filling:
2 cups rhubarb
2 cups peeled, chopped baking apples
4 cups boiling water
2 cups sliced, fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tablespoon butter
Half and Half
Sugar for sprinkling on crust
Place apples and rhubarb in a colander with a large pan or bowl below. Pour water over fruit. Cover and set aside. Whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Toss with rhubarb, apples and strawberries. Add a squirt of lime juice and stir.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with crust. Add filling, dot with butter and top with remaining crust. Brush with Half and Half and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 F for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Fifth Place
Apple Pie
Ava Ulvestad,
11 years old
Crust:
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
Combine all ingredients and divide dough in half.
Filling:
6 apples (Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons tapioca
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Mix together well and place in bottom crust.  Cut top crust in lattice design. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 375 F for 1 hour. Let cool and enjoy.

PHOTOS BY ANGELINA DELLA ROCCO/PLAINSMAN
Greg Hager performs with daughter Hannah Hager.

Winners in the 2018 Sertoma Pie in the Park baking contest include, from left: Michael Olsen first place winner, organizer Deannie LeRoux, third placer Eva Sande, Carol Olsen in fourth place and fifth place winner Ava Ulvestad. Not pictured is Sandra Uecker, who placed second in the contest.

Lisa Wolf and Deannie LaRoux announce the winners.