Over the weekend, I had a crisis of identity.
I sat around my apartment, certain that I had a made a slew of wrong decisions, that I was inane to pursue writing as a profession.
Because some days you wake up and the words simply won't come. Or some days the words are like razor blades tearing through your body as you try to force them out. On those days, I wring my hands, I pace my apartment, and I question, why am I doing this?
I had a few of these days recently, and I came to the realization that no matter what you pursue, doubt and discouragement will always come.
There will certainly be moments when you ask yourself: Why? To what purpose? You may find yourself sipping on a cup of tea, your tears seasoning your already flavorful brew.
We all pursue different endeavors. We all have different goals. But for some of us, we chose to create. An artist's life is never easy, and the dual pursuit of aesthetic beauty and meaning can be soul-crushing at times.
And yet, as I drowned myself in a heavy dose of self-pity, I was reminded of why I do what I do. I may not publish a novel or reach thousands of people with my words. But I write because there is simply no other option. Left untouched, these words bubble out of of me; they have a life of their own.
So thank you for letting me share some of my words with you here. Your encouragement and support has made my first semester in this MFA program bearable. What has also helped? Pie.
I sat around my apartment, certain that I had a made a slew of wrong decisions, that I was inane to pursue writing as a profession.
Because some days you wake up and the words simply won't come. Or some days the words are like razor blades tearing through your body as you try to force them out. On those days, I wring my hands, I pace my apartment, and I question, why am I doing this?
I had a few of these days recently, and I came to the realization that no matter what you pursue, doubt and discouragement will always come.
There will certainly be moments when you ask yourself: Why? To what purpose? You may find yourself sipping on a cup of tea, your tears seasoning your already flavorful brew.
We all pursue different endeavors. We all have different goals. But for some of us, we chose to create. An artist's life is never easy, and the dual pursuit of aesthetic beauty and meaning can be soul-crushing at times.
And yet, as I drowned myself in a heavy dose of self-pity, I was reminded of why I do what I do. I may not publish a novel or reach thousands of people with my words. But I write because there is simply no other option. Left untouched, these words bubble out of of me; they have a life of their own.
So thank you for letting me share some of my words with you here. Your encouragement and support has made my first semester in this MFA program bearable. What has also helped? Pie.
As many of you might know, I have a penchant for apple pie. I could eat apple pie for dessert 365 days each year and be a very happy woman. My father has a similar obsession. I like to refer to our "problem" as a genetic tendency that I can't resist.
But just because I love the process of baking and eating a classic apple pie, it doesn't mean that I don't also yearn for some variety.
So you can imagine my delight when I walked into a local bakery here in Austin and heard about their showcase recipe this holiday season: a Rosemary Apple Pie. It took a good amount of self-control to not abandon my pile of grading completely and start baking that very afternoon.
Instead, we shared this pie on Thanksgiving. It was one of my favorite parts of a simple yet joy-filled afternoon. The fresh rosemary adds just the right amount of unique flavor. The herb doesn't overwhelm but instead creates a more complex flavor palette than your traditional combination apple-sugar-butter combination.
I hope you give this recipe a try over the next few weeks. It would be lovely to serve at a holiday party or on Christmas eve. For those of you who live near a Whole Foods, it might be worth buying one of those precious rosemary trees they sell each holiday season. For 10-15 dollars, you can take home a whole tree of rosemary sprigs...and I know I have plenty of recipes this season that call for the fragrant stems.
But just because I love the process of baking and eating a classic apple pie, it doesn't mean that I don't also yearn for some variety.
So you can imagine my delight when I walked into a local bakery here in Austin and heard about their showcase recipe this holiday season: a Rosemary Apple Pie. It took a good amount of self-control to not abandon my pile of grading completely and start baking that very afternoon.
Instead, we shared this pie on Thanksgiving. It was one of my favorite parts of a simple yet joy-filled afternoon. The fresh rosemary adds just the right amount of unique flavor. The herb doesn't overwhelm but instead creates a more complex flavor palette than your traditional combination apple-sugar-butter combination.
I hope you give this recipe a try over the next few weeks. It would be lovely to serve at a holiday party or on Christmas eve. For those of you who live near a Whole Foods, it might be worth buying one of those precious rosemary trees they sell each holiday season. For 10-15 dollars, you can take home a whole tree of rosemary sprigs...and I know I have plenty of recipes this season that call for the fragrant stems.
Rosemary Apple Pie
1 recipe butter pastry (double-crust)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary plus 1 tsp. finely snipped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 cups cored, peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white, beaten
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1. To create your rosemary syrup: in a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the water, and 2 sprigs rosemary. Cook on medium high heat until mixture just begins to boil. Let stand for 30 minutes; remove rosemary sprigs and discard.
2. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, salt and 1 teaspoon finely snipped rosemary; set aside. In a very large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar mixture and toss to coat. Stir in whipping cream, vanilla, and rosemary syrup.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, slightly flatten one pastry disc. Roll it from center to edges to form a circle 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie pan or plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie pan and spoon in apple mixture. (Leave extra juice in the bottom of your bowl)
4. Roll remaining ball of pastry into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Place pastry circle on top of your apple filling. Cut a few large slits on the surface to allow steam to escape. Crimp edges as desired. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
5. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of your pie crust with foil. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack; serve slightly warm. Makes 10 servings.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
*Find me on Facebook!
1 recipe butter pastry (double-crust)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary plus 1 tsp. finely snipped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6 cups cored, peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white, beaten
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1. To create your rosemary syrup: in a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the water, and 2 sprigs rosemary. Cook on medium high heat until mixture just begins to boil. Let stand for 30 minutes; remove rosemary sprigs and discard.
2. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, salt and 1 teaspoon finely snipped rosemary; set aside. In a very large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar mixture and toss to coat. Stir in whipping cream, vanilla, and rosemary syrup.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, slightly flatten one pastry disc. Roll it from center to edges to form a circle 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie pan or plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie pan and spoon in apple mixture. (Leave extra juice in the bottom of your bowl)
4. Roll remaining ball of pastry into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Place pastry circle on top of your apple filling. Cut a few large slits on the surface to allow steam to escape. Crimp edges as desired. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
5. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of your pie crust with foil. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack; serve slightly warm. Makes 10 servings.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
*Find me on Facebook!
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