Golden Onion Pie ... and a Story

This is a seriously yummy onion pie. It's not a quiche. It's a pie stuffed with the sweetest onions I could find ... those huge white onions that caramelize in the blink of an eye because of their super sugar content. Yes, there are a couple eggs in this pie, but there's also flour mixed with those eggs and that's very un-quiche-like. No, this is a pie reminiscent of some farm wife's bounty of onions and her wish to make an easy supper that  surprises her husband and satisfies her kids.

But ... about the source of this recipe ... I have a neat story to tell.

Back in August, I got an email from Kickstarter with some new campaigns for proposed business ventures. If you haven't heard of Kickstarter, do a Google search and read about this unique way for folks to raise venture capital for their various business ideas. Anyway, I like the idea of funding projects that I can get excited about and I love the idea of economic equity and funding people's dreams when they need a leg up, so I researched a few of the Kickstarter campaigns that were in my email ... and one particular business venture caught my eye. There was this young woman named Ali Eisenach who was looking for funds to help her produce a cookbook that was going to be all about pies.

Anyone who reads this blog knows from my sidebar photos that I have a serious 'pie Jones', so I'm sure the jump from loving pies to helping a young entrepreneur get a pie cookbook published is no great leap here. BUT WAIT! The story got better ... turns out young Ali was using her talent for baking, photography, and design to create this cookbook as a full-on effort to help her family get their financial solvency back. There had been hard times visiting the Eisenach family during this saggy baggy economy and Ali was convinced that her idea could help her family get out of debt and keep the financial wolf from the door. Now, THAT really struck me ... and I clicked the 'support' button as fast as I could and never looked back. 

The months have gone by since I clicked into Kickstarter and backed  Ali's campaign. Periodically, I would get emails that Ali wrote to her supporters, She gave updates on how the recipes were coming, how the publishing process was developing, and different messages about completing different phases of the cookbook project. And then ... last Saturday morning, I received a package in the mail. When I ripped into it, and saw this unassuming little book, I busted out smiling and then let out a whoop of delight for Ali and her dream. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to help someone realize a goal. I felt that way for years when I saw a student master an academic idea or skill and I felt the same joy when I first held Humble Pie.

Do you cry when you're happy? I do. In fact, I cry these days over just about anything. I cry when I see some of those really cheesy You tube videos that make their way around Facebook. I cry over love stories. I cry when I hear certain songs. I cry in church sometimes when the pastor delivers a particularly stirring sermon. I cry when I remember certain things my children have done over the years (good and bad). And ... I cry when I peel onions and garlic. Last night, as I made the 'inaugural recipe' from Ali's cookbook, I cried, but I think the onion tears were definitely mixed with happy tears.

The pie I made was fantastic ... even better this morning when I had a slice for breakfast. The next pie I'll make will most likely be a dessert pie ... so many choices, such a happy and fun decision! Now, here's where I let you know that you, too, can grab a copy of Humble Pie. Visit Ali's little company website and order a copy for yourself. I personally think this cookbook would look sweet peeking out of the top of a Christmas stocking. It's just about the right size ... has good basic recipes for crusts, a great selection of dessert pies that are a mix classics and the unusual, is durable with its smear-proof pages that can be wiped clean when they get dribbled and sprinkled on by flour and sugary juices, and would be a neat gift for the novice and experienced foodie in your life. 

Here's the link that tells about the project .... Lemon Poppy Blog and here's the link that lets you order your own copy of Humble Pie ... Lemon Poppy Inc.  Check it out!

Oh! And that recipe for Golden Onion pie is right up above ... in the photo. Easy and seriously good.