Saving Pies

When I was a kid my grandmother used to make what folks from the Ozarks, like her, call fried pies. These deep-fried pastries filled with a sweet apple, cherry, or peach concoction become my all-time favorite culinary delight. I couldn’t wait to get to Grandma Beam’s to sink my teeth into one of these delicacies. As I got a little older and my trips became more infrequent, she’d make a bigger batch, wrap them in wax paper, cover them with tin foil, and freeze them, so that I could take a dozen or so home with me.

 Well, I loved them so much that I’d save them. I'd keep these pies sometimes for months waiting for just the right moment to pop one of those little beauties into the microwave, sit down, and reach a state of near-total ecstasy. This delayed-gratification-approach was the perfect plan to maximize my enjoyment, except for one small problem. I’d invariably wait too long. I’d pull the pies out of the freezer and carefully unwrap them only to find them freezer-burned. It was too late to enjoy them, and I’d have to toss them into the trash can. You’d think I would learn, or get Ziploc freezer bags, but I didn’t. Next time I’d do the same thing, only to be disgusted by my refusal to enjoy them in the moment.

 I’ve talked about making a record for a long time. “Next year” seemed to be the plan for as long as I can remember. One evening not long ago, after my leukemia diagnosis (see the About section), I was once again talking about making a record, “next year.” My brilliant wife listened politely to my plans. She then smiled and said, “Are you saving your fried pies?”

 Okay, so now I’ve made a record. Wes Sharon, musician, owner of 115 Recording, Grammy-nominated producer, and an all-around great guy, guided me through the record-making process, and I’m proud of what we accomplished. You’ll be able to listen to it on January 10 when we release Travel Inn.

 Talk to you soon,

Paul