the second coming of sylvia

i had my second new school class, in pies and tarts. ostensibly it was a seasonal class, using fresh fruits, but it was more of an all-around. it was particularly helpful for me to watch the pie dough being mixed and rolled, because now i’ve seen it done simply and properly. i had fun with the different kinds of filling, particularly the tarte tatin, which was delightfully simple to make and will be something to keep in the culinary arsenal come fall.

i also got some inspiration for the rhubarb i’ve got sitting in the fridge, leftover from last week’s supplementary CSA delivery. i’m going to sweeten the rhubarb with some dried sour cherries--or, if i really get lucky, some fresh ones. i want to make it to the union square greenmarket this week and check out the latest offerings. much to my chagrin, i have not yet visited since i’ve been back in the city. it’s just past the boundary of what can be accomplished during a lunch break and i usually prefer to stay out of the city on saturdays.

the catch, because there always is one, was the instructor of this pie class. i’ve never met a more unpleasant or disagreeable person. it’s like he starts out trying to be nice, and then gives up on it, and then realizes he’s been an ass and turns the vaguest hint of niceness back on. he was rude, mean, arrogant and impatient. he treated everyone in the class as if we were his personal assistants, and he couldn’t keep track of the varying instructions he was giving to everyone, so more often than not he gave contradictory instructions and then scolded the unlucky student for the mistake.

but in the end, it was worth it. i now feel comfortable and inspired to try my hand at pie making as the summer goes on.