How to make an American Pie

It must a sign of aging. I was scanning through the 700 channels that show up on our Dish TV schedule, trying to find one worth watching, when I found a listing for "How to Make an American Quilt". I told hubby "Gee, let's record that because I've been wanting to see that since it came out in the 90s." A few days later, I sit down to watch it and as soon as the voice over begins, I realize that I have seen it - the whole thing - and I just didn't remember it.

That's weird for me because I usually can remember movies and actors really well. What is even weirder is that I liked the movie. Sure, Wynona Rider is her same, doe-eyed self, but Anne Bancroft and Maya Angelou, Ellen Burstyn and Kate Nelligan, Alfre Woodard and Kate Capshaw are there, so really, how can it not be good. It is an adaptation of the novel by Whitney Otto (thank you IMDB.com), one that I'll be picking up to add to my growing stack of reading. (Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts is my current pick)

And yet, I managed to forget I had ever seen it. Old age - hmpf.

Well, I don't quilt (not yet, but it's on my list) but I admire the skill. The patience and precision seems limitless in the people who make large scale quilts. In the movie, the women who are making the wedding quilt for Wynona are trying to demonstrate "where love resides" and tell us their own stories in the process (stories far better than Wynona's to be sure).

I won't spoil the end if you haven't seen it but I suggest you rent this one (or find it on one of your 700 channels) and check it out.

I can't quilt, but I can make pie and I thought I'd bring back a post from last October that I shared with a great pie crust. This crust makes a humdinger of a pie, though it can be a bit persnickety to work with. But as the movie instructs, old lovers find the beauty in patches - so feel free to patch up any holes that you might get as you transfer the dough to the pie plate. As for a filling, apple would be a top choice, but this time of year has some great raspberries or peaches for consideration.

Biting into a big piece of pie might make you wonder if that is where love resides. It's as good an answer as any in the film.