I dashed into the kitchen where Cam was in the midst of making coffee. We hugged quickly and then I started jabbering with creative exuberance, “I am going to make a peace pie! Do you get it, a PEACE pie?” I said spelling out the letters. Cam turned and looked at me, and it is basically impossible for him to tame my spirits when I am like this, but he gave it his best shot, “I have seen that before,” he said. I tilted my chin up haughtily in response, “Well, I don’t believe you, you are just saying that, and I just thought of it, and it is a new idea for me!” I retorted happily. Lets just call it creative innocence and just like that I went straight to work making the dough. The girls were by my side, each with their own patch of dough making miniature pies for their fairies.

Then quite unexpectedly, despite the light, a wisp of blue floated in and I found myself reflecting on my childhood. The smooth wooden rolling pin I was using belonged to my mother, and as I whooshed it with my hands I heard the bearings swivel and I suddenly felt sad. Today is her birthday, and I felt my heart strings pull for her. With a deep knowing that she was on other-side of world alone, and that some years we haven’t even spoken on birthdays, I knew on this day I had the power to roll out some happiness. Not melancholy. “Ah yes!” I thought. “My peace pie is going to be for Mum!” It was decide. My mother and I have struggled to find peace in life together at times, but as I recalled the pastry phase she went through I felt revived. “Gosh, we really do have some great memories.” I thought. “This pie is for wildlife Grandma,” I said to the girls heartily. “For her birthday, so we can think of her!” They both liked that idea a lot. “But can we eat it right away still?” Elle asked. “Yes yes, I will just send a photo!” I reassured them.

So I baked the pie, filling it with love and then I sent a photo and wrote a note that said, “Dear Mum, I made you a peace pie, I wish you were here having a piece with us. Love Kirsten.

In that moment I really did wish she could have a piece of pie with us and though it is impossible, I know this true loving gesture, is peace of a different sort.

Peace Pie

Basic Pie Crust 

2/3 cups butter
2 cups of unbleached white flour
5 – 6 tablespoons of cold water

Rub the butter into the flour, being careful to use fingertips only. Once the butter and flour are evenly grainy, sprinkle in the water. Blend the water lightly into the dough. Form a ball,  handling as little as possible. If the mixture is too dry, add a little more water. Let the ball of dough sit in the fridge for at least an hour. Divide the dough evenly into two parts for the top and bottom of the pie. Roll out the dough onto parchment paper. You may need a little flour on the rolling pin. Grease pie plate with butter and transfer dough form the parchment paper into the pie plate. Trim excess dough. Roll out the rest of the dough onto the parchment paper to decorate the top. I use a matt knife to cut fine details and patterns.

Note: Sometimes I use half unbleached white flour, half wholewheat flour.

Filling
3-4 cups of fruit of your choice
1/4 sugar
1  tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon corn starch.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
2 tablespoons of water

Using seasonal berries, apples or pears.
Slice fruit thin and evenly. If the pears and apples are not very ripe, boil them slightly first.
Combine fruit, 1/4 cup of sugar, butter, cornflower, cinnamon and water in a bowl. If using berries, leave out the water. Fill pie with fruit. This can be done neatly in a pattern. Top the pie with a decoration and pinch edges.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve warm with hand whipped cream.

This is an adapted and modified recipe form the Joy of Cooking.