Big Bend Eats
by Carolyn Brown Zniewski
H
and pies have been around for thou-
sands of years. The food historians
don’t know when folks started carrying
their lunch baked in pastry dough, but there is
evidence the Greeks made hand pies. They can
be baked or fried and can be carried in your
pocket, no wrapping needed. There were lots
of variations but everyone made savory pies. It
wasn’t until pies and hand pies got to America
that folks started filling them with fruit. Apple
pie was invented in America. So were peach
pie and blueberry pie. Texans have a special
fondness for fried pies. I found six or more bak-
eries claiming to be the home of the original
fried pie. For me the home of fried pies is The
Burnt Biscuit Bakery in Marathon, Texas.
The Burnt Biscuit Bakery has been serving
up fried pies for years. Shirley Rooney started
it years ago. Brenda Iskra and husband Brent
Coleman are third or fourth in a line of fried
pie makers, and let me tell you they make the
queen of fried pies. Whether you have the
incredible roast beef or the lush chicken salad
there, be sure to save room for one. Brenda
wouldn’t tell me the recipe for her chicken
salad but she did give me the recipe for her
lovely pumpkin fried pies. Invite a few friends
over and spend a cold and windy afternoon
making these delicious treats. The pastry is
perfect. One caveat, be sure your oil is the right
temperature.
Brent’s Pumpkin Fried Pie
Crust:
1 can (12-13 oz.) evaporated milk
1 beaten egg
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon shortening
Combine milk and egg. Set aside. Using a
food processor, combine dry ingredients. Cut in
shortening. Add liquid and pulse until dough
forms a ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or
overnight.
Filling:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar, to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.
Add egg. Add remaining ingredients and blend
well.
Making the pies:
Using a piece of dough the size of a walnut,
roll out dough to a 6 inch round 1/8th inch
thick. Put 2-3 Tablespoons filling on half of the
circle, leaving 1/2 inch around the edge. Fold
circle into half-moon shape. Seal edges.
Fry in hot oil, 365’, until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels. Serve warm or room
temperature.
Just in case you need a little something to
keep everyone going, bake this lovely coffee
cake for breakfast, brunch or afternoon
gatherings.
Quilts
Etc.
by
Marguerite
Made in the Big Bend
Hildegard’s german Coffee Cake
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup oleo or butter
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 oz. sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
HWY 118 • Terlingua
3/4 mile N of HWY 170
432.371.2292
Taste and See
Bakery
Thursdays 4 - 6pm
• Organic spelt, hard white wheat berries.
• Rye and kamut freshly milled in my
stone burr mill and baked into
delicious breads, pizza crusts, cookies
and other goodies.
• Stone ground flour milled to order for
home bakers.
We use no white flour or
white sugar in our products
us on Facebook
802 E. Brown St. and Cockrell
Alpine
432-386-3772
gingerhillery@mac.com
Beat eggs. Slowly add sugar. Add oleo and
beat 5 minutes. Continue to beat while adding
dry ingredients. Add sour cream and vanilla
and combine well.
Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons melting butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons flour
2015 Chamber Events
Stir filling together. Grease bundt pan. Pour
1/2 the batter into bundt pan. sprinkle on 1/2
the filling. Add remaining batter. Top with
remaining filling. Bake at 350’ for 1 hour. Let
cool completely before removing from pan.
Brenda tells me, “My Grandmother made
this every Christmas morning.” But don’t wait
for Christmas, make it this week.
Cenizo
February - Fish Fry and Valentine Dance Community Center
July - Chili Cook-off and Dance at the Post Park
September - West Fest Cabrito Cook Off at Post Park
October - Marathon to Marathon & Quilt Show
November - Cowboy Social at Ritchey Brothers Building
December - Fiesta de Noche Buena
– go to marathontexas.com for details –
First Quarter 2015
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