22

So we had dinner guests Saturday evening, and I endeavored to make a wineberry-peach pie.  I was blind-baking the bottom crust, to keep it from getting soggy, and while it was in the oven I got distracted by another part of dinner I was also cooking, and next thing you know...flaming pie crust!  I smelled something burning, smote myself upon the forehead for forgetting the pie in the oven, opened the oven and -- flames!  So I actually stuck the pie back in the oven so it would keep burning and went to get the camera.

I ditched the piecrust and made another, but this pie did not want to be made.  The second time around the pie did not burn, thank heaven, but nor did it bake.  In the oven for nearly two hours, it stubbornly refused to cook through.  I was mystified, and wondering if the oven was malfunctioning.  I finally took it out and served it anyway, calling it pie soup -- the top at least was done, even over-done, but the fruit inside was barely warm, my lovely wild raspberries swimming in all their juices that had never thickened.   Our guests graciously declared it delicious, whatever it was, though I noticed none asked for seconds.  I showed them the photo of the flaming piecrust by way of explanation -- I've never had a pie fail this epically before -- and Bill's friend Jim said, "That is the mark of a true photographer, that you reached for the camera instead of the fire extinguisher!"

It wasn't until the next day that I realized the oven had been set on 'broil' instead of 'bake' -- Bill's stove has a separate dial dictating these things.  Dang.  What a waste of pie.  But in its stead I now have a story.