dsmWeekly: November 1, 2023

It's high time for pie. The team at Pie Birds Pie baked these two beauties and sent us the photo.

FOOD AND DINING

3 tips for making pie (plus a 4th: outsource it)

Writer: Karla Walsh

’Tis the season for holiday feasting — and baking. For many families, no Thanksgiving table is complete without a pie or two. But if making literal dough isn’t your day job, it can feel daunting to jump in and bake for the big feast.

When it comes to pie, “the biggest mistake I see is that folks often quit before they even start because they're afraid to do it wrong,” said Kristen Daily of Pie Bird Pies. “But it's pie. No matter what, it's going to be delicious and special, even if it's not picture perfect. Just remember: Everything takes practice, and each pie you make will be better than the one before.”

To help coach you through your best pie yet, we tapped three local bakers who do make dough for a living. Each of them also happen to be a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier International of Greater Des Moines, one of 40 global chapters of the nonprofit that connects, elevates and celebrates women in the food, beverage and hospitality industry.

Start strong. Use the best butter, flour and fillings you can find. “Whether you're a baker or a cook, my top tip is to use quality ingredients,” said Kimberly Dunn of Domestic Bones. “That doesn't mean they have to be expensive. I never get all my ingredients from one place. Instead, I like to shop around.”

Keep cool. “Cold butter and cold water are key to a flaky and tender crust,” Daily said. Once you’ve mixed the pastry dough, allow it to chill out in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling it to transfer to the pie pan.

Cook that crust. Lana Shope of Pies and Pastries by Lana has found that many new or infrequent bakers are afraid of overcooking their pies, so they’re overly cautious about the bake time. This can result in an underdone crust. To ensure it’s flaky and golden brown, “bake the pie on a low shelf in the oven, close to the heating element,” Shope said. And remember to slide a large baking sheet underneath the pie pan to catch any drips of juice or filling that bubbles over; your future self will thank you. “If you want to go the extra mile to ensure perfectly crisp pastry, bake the pie on top of a baking steel or pizza stone,” Daily added.

Of course, if you’d rather pre-order a pie from the pros, keep in mind that the local Dames d’Escoffier have rescued fruit from Central Iowa trees and transformed them into pies in four flavors, all ready to pick up the Saturday before Thanksgiving and bake from frozen. Bonus: Each pie comes with a sommelier-selected bottle of wine to pair with your holiday menu. Second bonus: All the proceeds support five fantastic food-related causes.

BEST BET

Hang on, country fans: Shania is on her way

Linguists disagree whether Shania Twain’s first name derives from an Ojibwe phrase that means “someone on the way.” But it applies here: The best-selling female artist in country music history is coming to town for a concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wells Fargo Arena.

The concert, with opener Lily Rose, is part of Twain's "Queen of Me" tour, which launched in April to support her album of the same name. The Canadian singer plans to wrap up the tour in two weeks in Vancouver.

Fans have already snapped up most of the tickets here in Des Moines, but a few are still up for grabs on the main floor, starting around $150.

The Week Ahead

First Friday at Mainframe Studios (5-8 p.m. Friday): The free monthly event showcases the work of Mainframe’s resident artists, ranging from digital art to paintings to sculptures. This month, you can support local artists while finding the perfect holiday gift, or even give a workshop to friends and family so they can tap into their own creativity. And of course, it wouldn’t be a First Friday without music, food and drinks.

Moberg Gallery’s 20th Anniversary (5-8 p.m. Friday): The art gallery at 2411 Grand Ave. celebrates its first two decades with a new show featuring an array of work by the local, national and even international artists it represents. Several of those artists plan to attend the opening reception, including Dennis Atherton, doubling as a DJ.

Edgewater Holiday Mart (9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday): Senior artists, some with 90 years of creative expertise, will display holiday-themed paintings, handmade cards, wood-carved art and fusion glassware at the senior living community in West Des Moines. While you’re there, enjoy the cheese boards, fudge, jams, jellies and other delicious goodies at the free event.

Wine and Clay (11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday): Earth arts made of natural materials like clay, metal and wood, will be on display at the Valley Junction Activity Center at 217 Fifth St. in West Des Moines. Peruse two rooms of pottery, copper jewelry and more while sampling fine wine and appetizers from Gateway Market. You can buy your tickets, wine flights and food add-ons online.

NEEDTOBREATHE: “Caves” World Tour (5:30 p.m. Sunday): Vibrant Music Hall, the metro area’s latest entertainment venue, hosts its first show this weekend. Fresh off a tour with OneRepublic, the Grammy-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE plays tunes from its ninth studio album, “Caves,” along with the earlier hits that have racked up a billion streams on Spotify over the past 20 years.

HOME AND GARDEN
dsm HDA finalists: We’re excited to reveal our 2024 dsm Home Design Award finalists in the Exteriors & Outdoor Living category. Join us in congratulating Conversation Gardens, Crose & Lemke Construction, Design2Build, Hal Davis, Jenny McCoy’s Jenny Gardens LLC, MainBuilt, Plant Life Designs, Prairie Provencal Home, and Stone Cross Lawn & Landscape & Concrete Collaborative. Check out the photos from the finalist projects at dsmhomedesignawards.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Sip, shop and give back: The sixth annual Des Moines Holiday Boutique is set for Nov. 10-12 at the Iowa Events Center, where more than 200 vendors offer a one-stop shop for your holiday gifts. A “girls’ night out” program on Friday kicks off the weekend of holiday entertainment, themed events and artist exhibits. Visitors can refuel at the Boutique Cafe and Wine Village and donate to fill the cupboards of people in need through a partnership with the DMARC Food Pantry. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Clockwise from top left: Christen Bain, Heidi Ernst, Marlén Mendoza, Monique Scarlett, Abigail Johnson and Ashley Miles.

BUSINESS RECORD

Fearless: Three profiles in courage and resilience

Three years ago, dsm magazine’s sibling publication, the Business Record, launched the Fearless initiative to empower Iowa women to succeed in work and life through articles, stories and community events. At its core, it aims to amplify the perspectives, stories and insights of Iowa women and gender-nonconforming individuals.

The Business Record published six Fearless profiles last Friday and invited three of those featured women to speak at a celebration this morning at the downtown Des Moines Marriott. The three speakers were:

Heidi Ernst, a 74-year-old physical therapist from Marshalltown who practices what she preaches to patients and has done powerlifting, swimming and scuba diving. After her 524th dive, on June 7 in the Bahamas, a shark attacked her as she was climbing the boat ladder after completing the dive. She had to have her left leg amputated below the knee at a trauma center in Miami.

Abigail Johnson, the 16-year-old founder and CEO of Veterans Tech Support, which offers classes in technology basics to military veterans in eastern Iowa. Johnson started the nonprofit two years ago after she saw a need to help older veterans gain computer skills and realized she could do something about it. She successfully applied for a grant to get Veterans Tech Support off the ground, and now it offers classes in and around Scott County.

Monique Scarlett, who founded Unity in the Community in Sioux City after the slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida in 2012. The nonprofit has a close, ongoing relationship with the Sioux City Police Department and other law enforcement. Scarlett, who works at U.S. Bank, helps with various projects to make Sioux City a welcoming, safe and empowering community for everyone.

For more inspiration, read all six Fearless profiles online.