Pie Just Out of the Oven

Somehow I got into making cherry pies for the
Fourth of July, and that led to all sorts of other pies...
peach, chocolate, cranberry, pear, pecan, blueberry,
lemon, and any combination thereof. For a ceramic pie, you can't beat juicy cherries. I made one of those aluminum pie pans just because it'd show off the white gold. Some lumps of clay then became the filling so that the crust could drape over it in that lumpy way that crust does. Rolling out the porcelain crust and pinching it was exactly like using pastry dough, fun!

Because my upcoming show at the MAC is titled "The Porcelain Reformation", I'd been doing some reading on THE Reformation. When I came across a Last Supper by Lucas Cranach the Elder, it said "pie" all over it...the picture is circular and has a lot of red and beige in it. Martin Luther and his cohorts play disciples and they are serving each other wine, indicating the priesthood of all believers. There had to be a slice cut out of the pie so you can see the mess of cherries. So naturally I cut out Judas. Unfortunately Jesus and John had to go with him, since they were part of the same piece--John's head is on his lap and Jesus is putting bread into Judas' mouth. It should be encouraging to all of us that Judas got fed even though Jesus knew he was going to betray him. Mercy!

The pie needed something more, so how about a pie cutter thingey? It had to be a Cutco "Slice & Serve", since our goddaughter Grace sells Cutco. And painted on it is the wonderful Grant Wood at the Amon Carter Museum, called "Pastor Weem's Fable". Why? Well because it is about the young George Washington cutting down a cherry tree...which was a big fat legend. Story goes that Georgie's dad was merciful to him for admitting his indiscretion.

At the last minute I got really corny with it and added a pot holder that has the words and music to "Pie Jesu". I did not make that up. "Pie Jesu" means "merciful Jesus" or "Oh, Sweet Jesus", and is a common part of requiems. The one on this pot holder is a beauty by Gabriel Faure.
Thus, the title "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"...and yes, you can hum along to the jazz tune by Joe Zaurinul (sp?). The pie has now taken its place in the warm kitchen in the November Chlora story, and she's looking for the missing piece at Thanksgiving dinner. That story will go online soon...and I will be eating humble pie!