Fair Time cooking

Vodka, my friend, vodka. Not to drink, but to make the crust.

To get the crust to hang together, you have to wet the flour, and most folks use water. But water creates gluten, and too much water makes the crust chewy/hard instead of flaky. The trick is to use alcohol instead of water. This will allow you to use more liquid so the crust hangs together when you form it, but when you bake it, the alcohol boils away, leaving a flaky crust.

source
And here

I used to have a small pie business and have always used the Crisco recipe. However, I keep the Crisco in the freezer and of course use ice water. I have a food processor so I process the flour, salt, and Crisco using the "pulse" feature until I have the consistency of cornmeal. I then transfer the mixture into a cold stainless bowl. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of cold water, I almost always use 3 1/2 to 4 tablespoons water. I add the water then use a fork to toss the water into the flour, working the mixture as little as possible. I then gather the dough together into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. I let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge, roll it out on a floured board and transfer to whatever kind of pie plate I'm using, depending on the situation. It doesn't seem to make that much difference. I even use the foil pans if I am giving the pie away or plan to send the leftovers home as I often do when I make a Buttermilk Pie for my grand son. I like to put the crust in the freezer for 30 minutes, I don't always have time, but I ALWAYS blind bake my crusts for 10-12 minutes for any kind of fruit or baked pie. Of course custard and pies such as Key Lime and Lemon Ice Box are completely baked even though I bake the latter two (filling and all) about 15 minutes. Also I always cool on a rack and use one even when refrigerating finished pies. I consistently produce flaky pie crusts with this method. Sometimes I use 1/4 c cold butter and 1/4 cup Crisco. Hope this helps.

Wife is reading the suggestions. She bought a new blender this evening, so I can go buy a new rifle...yeaah that's the ticket.
I've heard others talk of using liquor in the crust. Last years State Fair Winner used Jack Daniels. My suggestion to wife was to set a bottle of Jack Blacknext to her pies and let them add their own or a shot and a bite. She threw something at me. Too fast to tell what.
We were brought up Puritanical, and I mean it. She refuses to even talk about liquor let alone have any in the house.
I may have to help her out when she's not looking.
Bought Honey Crisp and Johnathans, at a n Orchard not ripe to me.
Be a couple weeks, and almost too late for Delicious and Winesaps not til mid next month.
Have to drive to Ga to get some ripe, I suppose.
40.00 a bushel but 198 a lb in Walmart The half bushel of Honey crisp felt about 30 lbs. At 20.00 she saved 40.00 and more than that at other Supermarkets. along the way at various stands, Ripe heirloom tomatoes five pounds or so 1.50. Next week, several bushels of green beans.

naturist wrote:
Vodka, my friend, vodka. Not to drink, but to make the crust.

To get the crust to hang together, you have to wet the flour, and most folks use water. But water creates gluten, and too much water makes the crust chewy/hard instead of flaky. The trick is to use alcohol instead of water. This will allow you to use more liquid so the crust hangs together when you form it, but when you bake it, the alcohol boils away, leaving a flaky crust.

source
And here

Vodka is so versatile, organic too.

naturist wrote:
Vodka, my friend, vodka. Not to drink, but to make the crust.

To get the crust to hang together, you have to wet the flour, and most folks use water. But water creates gluten, and too much water makes the crust chewy/hard instead of flaky. The trick is to use alcohol instead of water. This will allow you to use more liquid so the crust hangs together when you form it, but when you bake it, the alcohol boils away, leaving a flaky crust.

source
And here

Water creates gluten? I don't think so, the flour contains gluten proteins. Any liquid will activate the gluten in flour, including Vodka, which has water in it.

I use an egg, water, vinegar mixture for the liquid. Sprinkle on after mixing dry ingredient and shortening/lard. Don't overwork or it will become tough.

used to use pastry flour in our pie dough-very cold water,mix just enough to bring douigh together,mix by hand is best,the longer you mix the tougher it will be. good luck

So how did the you fare at the Fair, down home?