Saturday, November 15, 2008

The Fifth Season & Survival Pie

We're in our longest season here in Ohio. You have Summer which is 2 weeks hovering near 100 degrees and humid. Fall--the week the leaves change color and drop--very crisp, clear blue sky. Winter is the week or so where it's so cold if you spit it freezes before it hits the ground, but you don't dare spit because the wind will whip that ice bullet right back into your face and inflict serious damage. Spring is a wet sneeze between winter and summer.
Our fifth season is the approximately 11-month-long season called "Gray." We're in it now. It's windy. Might have wet snow with little or no accumulation or maybe rain. Or maybe just a bonechilling, pervasive damp.
Because my ancestors lived here in Ohio for many generations, my people have adapted survival techniques. The number one technique is baking. You bake lots of cookies, pies and cakes, and then you eat them. The number two survival technique probably is tied with number two: Open and pour the alcoholic beverage of choice, and sip till the chill is off. Both techniques are followed by a nap. It's survival mode that's making me fat! Oh, and I'll have my survival a la mode, thank you.

SURVIVAL PIE (OATMEAL PIE)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

9 inch unbaked pie crust

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt

Beat eggs till frothy; combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt and add to beaten eggs. Mix well.

Combine:
1 cup light corn syrup
1 Tbs. melted butter
Dash vanilla
1 cup quick oats

Add oat mixture to egg mixture and blend well. Pour into pie crust and bake on upper rack of oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes or until done.
Tastes similar to pecan pie, but more economical.

Addendum: I just realized that my blog title "Fifth Season" is a pun. Ha! Survival of the fifth season requires a fifth of your favorite beverage!
Addendum #2: The word "fifth" looks funny after you type it a while.



3 comments:

  1. I can soooo relate to your gray season, we have it here on the Fundy coast accompanied by fog and the wretched foghorn that after 10 years here I stil have to use earplugs to sleep through. We are about 1.5 miles away from the lighthouse/foghorn, I pity the folks who live closer to it. Your pie sounds so delicious but not what I need added to my waist right now! I shall try it after my sons wedding in late Dec, dieting furiously to not look like a sack of potatoes!

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  2. I really enjoyed your post on the seasons. I shared it with my family and everyone got a laugh. I'll have to try your oatmeal pie when I get home. Sounds good - my husband thinks your second survival tip is pretty good, too.

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  3. LOL!!! Fellow Buckeye here so I am quite familar with the 'grey' season. Have to give your suggestions a try! :)

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