PI DAY WITH MR. NEELEY

BY OLIVIA FRIES

For those of you who do not know or may have forgotten, Pi Day takes place every year on March 14th (3/14), a date representing the first 3 digits of pi and Albert Einstein’s birthday. The first Pi Day celebration dates back to 1988, when American physicist and Pi Day founder Larry Shaw held a circular parade and fruit pie feast at his place of work: the San Francisco Exploratorium. The celebration

Blueberry pie RECIPE CRUST

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I go with the 10-inch two-crust recipe so I am sure to have enough crust. I buy the expensive quarters of shortening because I hate measuring shortening. I also have a scale so I can weigh ingredients, or you can look up weights on the Internet. You can also use store-bought crust; however, you run the risk of a mediocre pie.

Ingredients

1 cup (190 g) shortening

2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

7-8 tablespoons COLD water

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Cut shortening into flour and salt mixture with a fork or a pastry cutter until particles are the size of small peas did not end there, however. In 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to make Pi Day an official holiday, and now, 35 years later, Pi Day remains a true international phenomenon.

3. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.

4. Gather pastry into a ball; Divide in half. Wrap the second half and keep it someplace cool until you are ready for the top crust.

So, what’s the big deal with pi anyways? Pi is used in math to calculate angles and the circumference of a circle. While it doesn’t

5. Shape the first half into a flattened round on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry from the center to the outside in all directions giving it a turn occasionally and keeping it a somewhat circular shape.

6. When it is large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie plate, fold it in quarters and transfer it to the pie plate and then unfold it. If you need to patch any holes, use a little cold water as a “glue” and stick some of your excess pastry where needed.

Filling Notes

Back in Hornell I would go berry picking on Blueberry Hill and immediately wash the berries and freeze them, already measured in 4-cup increments. When I wanted to make a pie, I would take out a bag and let it thaw the night before I planned to make the pie. But, if you opt to use frozen berries, put the bag in a shallow dish while it thaws as there may be liquid that could stain counters, etc..You may also want to use this liquid when you make your filling

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (if desired)

4 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter sound particularly exciting, this number has major implications for the fields of physics, construction, music theory, medicine, aeronautics and the list goes on. Wondering how to celebrate Pi Day this year? Well, look no further! Beloved mathematician Mr. Neeley is here with The Howler to share his favorite pie recipe with the AC community.

Steps

1. In a large bowl mix ½ cup sugar, flour, cinnamon, and gently stir in blueberries.

2. Put the filling into the pastry lined pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and dot with butter

3. Roll out the top crust and cover. Squeeze the edges of the crust together and even out as you do so. Cut off excess if there is too much crust, but I don’t usually bother.

4. Create a pinch edge as follows: place index finger on the inside of the pastry edge and thumb and index finger on the outside edge. Pinch pastry into a V shape and continue all the way around the pie.

5. Cut slits in the top of the crust so steam can escape. You can create a design if you wishmaybe the number π!

6. Usually when I make a pie, I also sprinkle the top with a mixture of ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ cup of sugar.

7. Before you put the pie into the oven, cover the edges with 2-3-inch strips of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. Carefully remove this foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.

8. Bake in the center of the oven until the crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through the slits (35-45 minutes). This pie can run over as well so you may want to put a shallow foillined pan on a lower shelf to catch any drips.