Contrary to the belief of many, “nice” and “kind” are not synonyms.
Nice is self-centered. People are nice to please others and to make others like them. Or, nice is to keep the peace, not to hurt feelings, or to prevent others from becoming angry.
Nice goes along to get along, but often underneath there is resentment.
Ah, but kind …
Kind is others-centered. Kind acts in the best interests of others out of love, empathy, and compassion.
Kind is not afraid. Kind can say no, because kind is also kind to oneself.
“Big J” is one of my co-workers. On the surface, we are very different, but underneath, we have much in common.
Big J is from Philadelphia. My mother was raised in New Jersey, in an area very near Philly. Consequently, we made frequent visits up north, and I was raised with many of the same foods and traditions as Big J.
Big J and I both share a love of all things preppy. We discovered this one day when I wore a shirt dress and he wore a button-down Oxford cloth shirt of the exact purple and white stripe. We also share a love of the shoe of the unrepentant prepster: Sperry. We are planning a visit to the Sperry outlet in Mebane to indulge in our mutual devotion to nautical inspired footwear.
We joke that Big J is my “brother from another mother” and I am his “sister from another mister.” And in a direct line to my heart, he calls me “Deb” which is what my big brother Homer has always called me.
Big J is also one of the kindest people I have ever met. His brown eyes shine with a benevolence toward all that is a lovely thing to behold.
Although I suspect I am at least a decade older than him, I would like to be like Big J when I grow up.
My friend made three gorgeous chocolate chess pies for Thanksgiving dinner. Those kind, brown eyes twinkled when he confessed sneaking down in the middle of the night to appease his mighty sweet tooth for one more slice.
Big J got his recipe from the website Southernbite.com and he used a frozen piecrust.
In a pseudo-sibling act of cooperation, I have included my own homemade pie crust recipe for you, Gentle Reader.
Thanks for your time.
Contact me at dm@bullcity.mom.
Debbie’s liquor-infused pie crust
1 cup butter (2 sticks), cubed and chilled
2 ½ cups + ½ tablespoon cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons very cold vodka (Vodka is tasteless in the cooked crust)
5-8 tablespoons ice water
Put the butter, flour, and salt in the food processor, and pulse lightly just until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add vodka, then water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly after each spoonful. Keep adding liquid until the dough just begins to gather into larger clumps. Pour dough onto flat surface and lightly knead just until it comes together.
Divide dough in half and transfer into resealable plastic bags and pat into disks. Let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Or freeze half of the dough for later.
Before baking, chill formed dough for 30-60 minutes.
Chocolate Chess Pie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Author Stacey Little | Southern Bite
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1& ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 large eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust* (homemade or store-bought is fine)
Whipped cream, if desired
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, and corn starch. Add in the beaten eggs, melted butter, milk, and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell being cautious not to over-fill. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a crust has formed completely across the top of the pie and is mostly set. There will still be some jiggle to the pie. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. This will allow it to set even more. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Note: If you find the pie too liquidy after cooling, simply place it in the fridge for a few hours and it will set right up.