On Tue 08 Jul 2008 05:38:05p, Janet Wilder told us...

> Serene Vannoy wrote:
>> Kswck wrote:
>>> Everyone has some sort of 'mental block' for some procedure that they
>>> can never get right, despite how many times they do it.
>>> Mine is trussing a chicken.
>>>
>>> Yours?
>>
>> I cannot seem to make flaky biscuits or pie crust. I mean, I can make
>> biscuits and I can make pie crust, but neither one is any great shakes.
>> I would love it if I could make really outstanding pie crust, rather
>> than just okay crusts.
>>
>> Serene
>>
>
> Try this if you use butter.
>
> Store the butter in the freezer. Cut off the amount you want to use for
> your crust or biscuits. Grate it through the large holes of a box grater
> then work it through the flour with your fingertips.

The grater does workk well, although I tend to have very warm hands and
fingers, so I generally use a fork or pastry blender, very gently. If you
use solid shortening, lard, or a blend of any of the solid fats, freezing
and grating is still a very technique.

> I got this from those two large English ladies who used to have a
> cooking show. One is now deceased, IIRC, but I can never recall their
> names, just the name of the cooking show which was "Two Fat Ladies"
>

They were Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson. Jennifer
Paterson is deceased.

--
Wayne Boatwright
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Tuesday, 07(VII)/08(VIII)/08(MMVIII)
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I don't want constructive criticism.
It's all I can do to handle
constructive praise.
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