Yes, you read that right. I wrote an article about my mother’s $125 apple pie. And because I’m a middle child, would it not be fitting to tell you she made it for my oldest brother? The pecking order at work! In order to give this story the most impact, I have to also admit that when my brother requested the pie, Mom had just returned from an extended visit to California, where my two brothers live. She had plenty of time and loads of kitchen space to make ten apple pies. Big brother had only to ask, but he didn’t because he’d sworn off sweets, flour, and all things white. Fine by me. My husband hadn’t made this same pledge and a few days after Mom arrived in Ohio, he asked for his semi-annual apple pie. Mom was more than happy to get back into baking mode and when the pie came out of the oven, I could hardly wait to dig in.
“Send your brother a picture of this lovely pie. Look at the golden crust. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s perfect, Mom. Great job.” I snapped a picture and sent it to my oldest brother. Seconds later my phone rang. It was brother #1 with a request: he wanted Mom to make him a pie.
“You realize she was just at your house…?”
“I know.” Laugh. “See if she’ll do it.”
“Of course she will.”
“Ask her if she’ll put a few blueberries in it, too, like she did before.”
“You mean when you were eating pie? Sure. Anything else?” Sometimes I just don’t know about my brother…
Pause. “Oatmeal raisin cookies, too.”
Was he kidding? I sigh. “Can she use white flour and sugar?”
“Yes.” Not a second of hesitation. “Tell her to make it just like she does and can she send it so it gets here Saturday?”
Now I have to say something. “You know, you could go to a bakery…”
“It wouldn’t be the same. I want Mom’s apple pie and her cookies.” Pause. “So, can you get them here by Saturday?”
“Yeah, well, you mean because today is Wednesday? How am I going to do that?”
“Next day delivery.”
“Now I know you’re crazy.”
“Come on. Can you just make it happen?”
Sigh. Big sigh. Of course, I can’t say no. He’s my brother. “Okay. Let me see what I can do.”
At eighty-something, Mom might be the brains and the know-how of this operation, but I’m the legs. Off to the grocery store to get more apples, then home to set out the ingredients, print off the oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, and prepare for tomorrow morning’s baking session. As my husband enjoyed warm apple pie and ice cream, I told him he was in charge of packaging the to-be-made pie and cookies. With his engineer-minded brain, he was the most qualified to get the job done.
Mom and I spent Thursday baking and I swear, my brother called fifteen times to see how we were progressing. Mom’s crust was even better than the one the other day and the cookies were golden and chewy. (Of course, I had to taste a few!) My husband wrapped the pie in rolls of bubble wrap, taped it closed, placed it in a Styrofoam container and then wedged it in a cardboard box. The cookies were easy. Oatmeal containers stacked to the top. We headed to the UPS store on Friday afternoon and Mom insisted on paying, saying this would be his early birthday gift.
“Mom, it’s going to be expensive.”
“I know, but I want to do this for him.”
“You gave him the gift by baking the pie and cookies. He doesn’t want you to pay.”
“I want to.”
Hmm. “How much do you think it will cost?”
“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”
“Take a guess.”
“Thirty or forty dollars.”
“Probably a little more.”
A little more turned out to be a lot more, like $125 more! Mom still wanted to pay, but I knew my brother would have a fit, and she must have known it too because she didn’t argue. The pie and cookies traveled over 2,000 miles and arrived the next morning intact, with only one small piece of crust broken off. When my brother called to tell us they’d arrived, he’d already eaten two cookies and dug a fork into the pie.
He said it was one of the best birthday presents ever. Well done, Mom!
Please burn Gloria’s notebook and all unread letters.
Hi Dotti:
Gloria’s notebook will be transferred to safe hands in A Family Affair: The Promise. No matter what that woman throws at the people of Magdalena, they will stand strong and survive…
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Best,
Mary
Wow glad that you are sold at Walmart I can’t to find out what the pregnant ladies had boys or girls and the names They are like distant family.
Hi Dotti:
Happy Holidays! I can’t wait for you to find out about the pregnant ladies either….I will tell you that Lucy Benito had a baby girl and they are living with Pop. He’s even changing diapers, something he rarely did when his own son was a baby.
A Family Affair: The Secret is coming out January 5, 2016. Good stuff in that one…and I think I may have even found a way to make Natalie Servetti someone you might like. Wait until you meet Roman Ventori – he’s is one great guy.
Take care and Merry Christmas!
Mary