Fried Pies (South)

Is it just me or does it seem that with every election cycle, we learn about yet another group of voters?  NASCAR dads and soccer moms abounded in the 2000 and 2004 elections.  So, with all the talk in the press lately about the 'hockey mom' vote, I wanted to speak up on behalf of other voting moms.  Yes, Sarah Palin gained critical leadership skills by waking up early, driving, and sitting in a cold arena while yelling.  For every hockey mom, there are thousands of hard-working, scrimping and saving, waking up early to work a second job single moms.  They are the moms, like mine, who vote for equal pay in the workplace, higher minimum wages, and affordable health care.  They actually like community organizers because they have helped them gain safety standards at work, affiliate with unions and support programs like after-school activities for their children.  Sometimes hockey moms are single moms, to be sure.  Yet, I have a feeling that when the single moms of America take their concerns to the voting booth on November 4, they may say "Thanks, but no thanks" to regressive policies that undermine their best interests. Oh, was I supposed to write about food?  Where was I, yes, single moms.  This post celebrates my own mother, who worked like hell to secure that I had a future in which I could choose a career and life that I enjoy working like hell at everyday, with no concerns about my health care or need for a day off.  On very little, she did so much.  And, it is in that same spirit, I celebrate the fried pie. 

Fried pies are all about my mom's philosophy in life--you take a little and make a lot out of it.  Throughout the South, in home kitchens and restaurants with no oven or when it was simply to hot to fire up the oven, cooks could prepare fried pies quickly and without confronting heat-related 'vapors.'  Although iterations of the fried pie were nationalized through the McDonald's hot, apple pie and the Hostess snack pies, a true fried pie MUST be eaten fresh out of the deep fat fryer.  A fried pie comprises a traditional pie pastry and a sweet or savory filling.  Fried pie flavors range from peach and apple to pulled pork and ground beef.  The beauty of the pies is that the pastry is thin, but does not soak up too much oil, and the filling is usually so dense you can get quite full on one pie.  The fried pie family includes the British pasty, the apple turnover and the Indian samosa.  As with last week's entry, there are NO healthy alternatives to fried pies.  You just have to treat yourself.  Luckily, Oklahoma provides a plethora of fried pie options, including a chain that serves a milkshake made with fried pie chunks and custard! 

When I was a kid, my mother used to bring home a Hostess pie for me and my sister to enjoy on Friday evenings.  My sister and I would come home after school, do our homework and chores, and wait to hear the key turn in the door of our apartment.  That sound meant that a Hostess pie was on its way.  My sister, always the inventive one, would place the lard-based treat in the toaster oven so we could enjoy our pie warm.  No, my mom didn't have time to bake pies and sometimes she didn't have time to drive us to activities, and we couldn't afford hockey. And, guess what?  We were still listened to, loved, cared for and well-fed.  If only my mom could run for vice-president or president.  She would definitely be ready day one to lead the country toward more compassion, create peace among warring factions, and establish 'Fried Pie Fridays' as a national holiday.

Happy Eating!