There are a lot of things Ryan and I don’t know. We don’t know exactly where we’ll be living when our baby is born. Or the day she’ll arrive (our guess date is June 19th). We don’t know how tired we’ll be during those first few months. Or if we’ll get a chance to go to Paris in the fall. I’m not certain what my labor will look like, what doctor will attend our birth, or if my little sister will be able to make it out from West Virginia on time.

But, we do know the name of our daughter, and we hoped that by naming her, we would evoke all the kind and generous women who have raised our families.

When I’m asked to picture a kitchen in my head, I immediately think of my Grammy’s small but fruitful kitchen. Pictures of her grandchildren cover the refrigerator, and there is always something freshly baked to be found in a plastic Tupperware container or on a shelf in the fridge. Each holiday season brings about Grammy’s famous pies, and we all snack on her chocolate brownies while we wait for the turkey to finish roasting.

We decided to name our daughter Lucille (Lucy) Amelia, after my mom’s mother, my Grammy. Quite simply, she is one of the sweetest and gentlest women I know. Through her, I learned a love of baking…and, more importantly, how to love others well. She gave birth to my mother, who is by far the most special and influential person in my life. Without my mother’s consistent, loving presence, I wouldn’t be so excited to give birth to my baby. Lucille is a way of honoring those generations of love and support.

Lucille also means “bringer of light.” Many of you know the loss that Ryan and I have experienced during our short, four years of marriage. Within six months of our wedding day, we lost Ryan’s father to suicide. Then, my sweet nephew, baby Ryan, was in a near-drowning in October of 2010, leaving him permanently and severely disabled. In March of 2011, my oldest sister and her family were in a car accident in Florida. We lost Pam, her husband Mike, and my nephew Jeremy. That summer, Ryan and I were told we couldn’t conceive without fertility treatment…and after everything that had happened…what a painful blow.

But there were other plans in store for us…a little girl who would bring a fresh dose of light and joy. Lucy is due just a few days before Pam’s birthday, and I can’t help but feel like this is part of a much bigger story.

My Grammy fell very ill earlier this year, and I pray for her sustained health every day. This will be her first great-grandchild, and I can’t wait to see her hold baby Lucy in her arms. This past Thanksgiving, she wasn’t able to make the pies we’ve all come to love. Thankfully, I’ve learned a few of her tricks over the years, and I’ll be happy to carry on the tradition she started…and teach baby Lucy to do the same.

Classic Apple Pie

1 recipe butter pastry (double-crust)
1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
1/4  tsp.  salt
6  cups  cored, peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples
1  Tbsp.  lemon juice
3  Tbsp.  whipping cream
1  tsp.  vanilla
1    egg white, beaten
2  tsp.  granulated sugar

1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, salt and 1 teaspoon finely snipped rosemary; set aside. In a very large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add brown sugar mixture and toss to coat. Stir in whipping cream, vanilla, and rosemary syrup.
2. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, slightly flatten one pastry disc. Roll it from center to edges to form a circle 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie pan or plate. Trim pastry even with rim of pie pan and spoon in apple mixture. (Leave extra juice in the bottom of your bowl)

3. Roll remaining ball of pastry into a circle 12 inches in diameter. Place pastry circle on top of your apple filling. Cut a few large slits on the surface to allow steam to escape. Crimp edges as desired. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar.

4. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of your pie crust with foil. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake the apple pie for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly. Cool on wire rack; serve slightly warm with vanilla icecream. Makes 10 servings.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores