C2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 18,1980
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ASPERS - It’s no secret that good cooks run in families,
and in Adams County there’s one family which boasts five
of the best pie bakers around. Mrs. William McCleaf,
Aspers Rl, and her two daughters and two grand
daughters are all prize-winning apple pie bakers in a
county which has an abundance of delicious apples, and,
one would suspect, apple pies.
Virginia McCleaf and her offspring walked away with
five prizes at the Apple Blossom Festival held in May and
won four prizes at the Apple Harvest Festival held last
weekend.
It was Virginia’s daughter Shirley Taylor, Biglerville
Rl, who took first prize in the women’s division of the
Apple Blossom Festival, followed by her mother in
second. Virginia’s daughter, Susie, 18, won in the 12-18 age
group, and Shirley’s daughters Julie, 11, and Aimee, 7,
won first and second, respectively, in the 6-11 category.
At the Apple Harvest Festival, Shirley did not win a „
prize, but Virginia took first, granddaughter Aimee took
first in her category and her sister took third. Susie Mc-
Cleaf, a freshman at Millersville State College, took first
inher category.
If all this is confusing, that’s understandable. The
important thing to know is that these five women know
bow to make a good apple pie.
Now, for those of you who are quick to wan| a recipe for
prize - winning apple pies, there is one at the end of this
article. However, Virginia says, “None of us has a recipe.
I go by looks and according to the texture and the feel.” As
one of 14 children, Virginia remembers her mother baking
10-14 pies at a time, so she just picked it up.
Nevertheless, when the committee asked bakers in this
year’s contest to supply a recipe so that those who pur
chased the pies at the auction would know how they were
made, a recipe was produced. Shirley says, “We kind of
put one together.” (The recipe included is actually
Shirley’s recipe, and if you’re a careful reader, you’ll note
some differences from mother to daughter.)
Virginia stated, “I use Stayman-Winesap apples. It is a
tart apple and makes a good flavored pie. I chop the ap
ples, thicken with a little bit of flour and add cinnamon
and butter.” She concedes that she will use a Macintosh
apple as a second choice. She says, “You need something
that will go soft, not mushy.”
Shirley added, “I use corn starch instead of flour and I
sometimes use lemon.” (So much for the exact recipe for
those of us who must know exactly how things are done.)
Obviously, it’s not just the apples that makes a good pie,
but the crust as well. Virginia states, “I always use lard
There’s nothing that tastes as good as a fresh
apple pie, warm from the oven. This pie was baked
by Shirley Taylor, first prize winner at the Apple
Blossom Festival's pie contest. It looks delicious,
and when it is cut, it tastes just like it looks.
BY SALLY BAIR
This family makes great apple pies
This is two of the three
generation family which
boasts some of the best
apple pie bakers in
Adams County. Mrs.
Virginia McCieaf, center,
and her two daughters
were all winners in the
apple pie baking contest
at the Apple Blossom
Festival. Mrs. Terry
Taylor, left, won first
place over her mother
and her sister Susie won
in the 12-18 division.
Mrs. Taylor's two
daughters were also
wir 's.
because it makes a flakier, tastier crust. And I use milk
for the liquid.” Why? “My mother always used milk,” she
replies. “And lard will get a good brown pie.”
Shirley says there’s a lot to the feel of the dough. “If the
pie dough doesn’t feel good it won’t come out right.
Practice makes perfect, so the oftener you bake, the
better.” Another hint from Shirley, “I use the lard at room
temperature. And you have to get right in there with your
hands to mix it.”
Shirley admitted that she never makes a single pie.
Mother and daughter agree that they often make up
several pies, freeze them and start them out in a cold oven
when they’re ready for them. Shirley said, “I make two
pies and freeze one.”
Both Shirley and Virginia stated that they like to bake
their pies in aluminum, but Virginia has an electric stove
and Shirley has a gas range. And in the winter, Virginia
even makes pies in her wood stove, which she says, “gives
a nice brown crust.” They also sprinkle a little sugar on
top which helps brown the pie.
Explaining that the temperature of the oven and the
position of the pie in the oven can affect the final outcome,
Shirley said they like to bake theirs in the middle of the
oven. She added, “We go by looks. iThey should be light
golden brown.”
What do judges look for m a cutest?, Shirley said,
“They check the appearance. The crust should be flaky,
both top and bottom. It should be a full crust. They go
more for taste than pretty.” .
And for the final touch, Shirley said, “We make our pies
the morning of the contest so they are still warm when the
judges taste them.”
Lest anyone get the wrong idea, all those pies won were
not made at the same time, nor in the same house. Julie
baked hers at her grandmothers’. And each family has a
preference for the decorative venting they make on the
top crust. Shirley’s resembles a leaf, Virginia’s is often
just lines and holes and the girls sometimes make happy
faces.
Furthermore, Shirley points out, “There were no names
on the pies and at the Apple Blossom Festival we were told
the judges were stricter than ever.”
When the whole family decided to enter in the Spring,
Shirley said, “We thought one or two would win.” But they
were delighted when they all got a prize. Totally there
were 49 pies in the three divisions. Julie had entered in two
previous contests and won. Julie and Aimee’s six-year-old
brother Kiley didn’t bake a pie, but he upheld the family
tradition of winning by the greased chicken contest.
Now, if you’re really following all of this, you will
realize that daughter Shirley got first prize and her
Adams Com
contest winners
These children of Mr.
and Mrs. Terry Taylor,
Biglerville Rl, were all
winners at the Apple
Blossom Festival. Kiley,
left, won in the greased
chicken contest. Julie,
center, took first prize in
apple pie baking contest,
and. Aimee took second.
At the Apple Harvest
Festival Aimee took first
and Julie took second.
wmesfjHtd
mother got second prize at apple blossom tune. Shirley
reflects, “I don’t know how I did that. I was surprised. I
thought her pies would -be better than mine.”
Diplomatically, she adds, “It must have been close.”
For the McCleafs and the Taylors', entering the contest
was a lot of fun. Shirley said, “I like Saturday afternoon
best, when the judging is being done. They call and tell
you how you did.”
Julie thought it was fun, too, but said, with a touch q|
chagrin, “When I went to school, everybody in tne whole
school knew about it.” That’s not so bad, but one yea;
when she won, her teacher suggested to the boys that
Mien they weref looking for a wife, Julie’s baking abilities
should be considered.
This family not only bakes terrific pies, but they also
promote Adams County apples. Virginia says, “Maybe
I’m partial, but other apples don’t have the taste Adams
County apples do. Maybe it’s the type of soil.” Shirley
agreed, “A lot of people come long distances for apples
here.”
Shirley adds, “You can find apples almost the year
round because it’s easier to keep then? in storage. My
father-in-law Rodney Taylor is a font farmer. The crop is
not bad this year, but hail marked a lot of them.”
As explanation for her cooking talent, Virginia says
simply, “I grew up on a dairy farm and I like to cook and
bake. I don’t follow a recipe too often. I picked it up from
Grandma. We had six children and I think a larger
amount of anything tastes better. We always have a lot of
leftovers.”
Shirley says nonchalantly, “I learned from Mom.”
Susie, Shirley’s sister, adds, “I learned off my mother ”
Aimee chips in, “I learned from my Mom. ’ ’ ((
Virginia adds, “I have two boys who love to eat apple
pie. They would eat it for breakfast. We eat a lot of pies.”
What’s the best way of eating apple pie? Virginia says
firmly, “I like it warm with milk. I can make a meal of
it.” Daughters Shirley and Susie agree that warm apple
pie is best. As for the idea of eating cheese with apple pie,
Virginia says, T don’t care for the combination.”
For Julie, the veteran in the contest, the idea of eating
apple pie is not at all appealing. She just doesn’t like it
What she does like though, “is stealing grandma’s dough
before it’s baked. I keep sneaking it.” She also likes
“scrap pie,” made from dough scraps, sugar and cin
namon.
All the family members agree that the apple pie contest
and the festivals are a way of promoting apples. They also
agree that an apple pie is more popular than any other,
proclaiming it’s America’s number one pie.
After being given the opportunity to sample one of these
prize-winning pies, I can only agree. A recipe for the pie
as Shirley bakes it follows, along with Virginia’s recipe for
apple cake, another family favorite.
APPLE PIE
4 cups sliced Stayman Wmesap apples
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vz teaspoon cinnamon
Mix the above ingredients together and place m un
baked 9’ pie crust. Dot with butter and cover with topj
crust. Brush with oil and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375
degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
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