Recipes

“I almost was resigned to not winning,” says Hopkins, “but I knew I made a good pie and I was determined not to give up. Last year, I decided to make the crumb-apple pie.”

Turns out the crumbs did the trick. After waking up early to bake her masterpiece and deliver it to the Darlington Methodist Church by 10 a.m., Hopkins was awarded the elusive blue ribbon.

“I was so thrilled. You can’t imagine!” says Hopkins. “I wore the ribbon proudly.”

The apple-pie contest occurs during the Darlington Apple Festival, a community fair that has grown over the years and now attracts a crowd of 50,000.  This year’s (2007)  festival will be held on Saturday, October 6, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., in Darlington. For more information, visit www.darlingtonapplefest.org.

MARTHA HOPKINS’ APPLE CRUMB PIE

CRUST:

1 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/3 c. (plus a little extra) shortening

2-3 T. ice water

Mix the flour and salt together, cut in the shortening, and add just enough ice water so the dough holds together. Chill. Roll out the crust and put it into a 9-inch pie pan. (The secret to good pie crust is to keep things cold, so don’t handle the dough too much.)

FILLING:

6-8 apples, pared and sliced

1 c. sugar

2-3 T. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

pinch salt

butter

Place the apples in the pie pan. Mix the dry ingredients and sprinkle them evenly over the apples. Scatter four or five pieces of butter over everything.

CRUMBS:

1/2c. sugar

3/4 c. flour

1/3 c. butter, softened

Mix the flour and sugar together, and then cut in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumbs over the apples (there will be a mound). Bake in a 400-degree oven for approximately 50 minutes.