Have you seen Labor Day yet?
If you have, or even if you haven’t, you may have heard that a peach pie has a major role in this film!
Last weekend, I invited a good friend over to have coffee and my own Peach Pie and watch the movie on DVD.Though my pie did not turn out as perfect as the one in Labor Day, we had a great time! My friend loved the movie, especially the chemistry between the two main characters and the romance.
I found Labor Day to be a movie that illustrates how life can change in just a second. Each one of us has to decide for ourselves what chances to take, and oftentimes following your gut and your heart will take you places you never imagined or dreamed possible. Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin are excellent in this drama that is about life and love, and about coming of age for Henry, brilliantly played by Gattlin Griffith.
Each of the main characters in the movie undergoes a transformation. When it opens, Adele (Winslet) has been paralyzed with grief and depression over events in her life. Frank (Brolin), the stranger who enters Adele and Henry’s lives unexpectedly as he jumps out a hospital window to escape from prison has been leading an empty existence and Henry is struggling to understand adolescence and having to become an adult way too early.
I don’t want to spoil it for you as it’s now on DVD and you can check it out! I found it fascinating how just five days can change a life forever and a peach pie can be so much more than just dessert.
Speaking of peach pie, one of my favorite scenes is the “peach pie baking scene”. It’s a very sensual scene somewhat reminiscent of the pottery scene in Ghost, yet it has its own special “flavor”.
The recipe for the pie comes from author (of the book, Labor Day) Joyce Maynard’s mom, and Maynard taught Brolin and Winslet how to make that very same pie for Labor Day. The above photo shows Maynard (in the red sweater) sharing her recipe with Kate and Josh and the dialogue in the scene comes from her own special tips. To become confident for the scene, Brolin’s character, Frank, baked a pie every day on the set so it would be authentic. And it is!
For those who want to learn how to make the peach pie Josh Brolin made in Labor Day, the recipe follows:
Ingredients
- 3 pounds peaches
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
- 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon chilled butter, cut into pieces
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water
- 2 tablespoons Minute tapioca (plus 2 additional tbsp to stir into peaches)
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir in 2 tbsp Minute Tapioca to help absorb juices. Let stand, stirring occasionally.
- Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, work in the shortening and 1 stick of butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the flour mixture, stirring gently with a fork. Continue adding the water just until the dough holds together. Shape the dough into a ball and divide it into two discs, one slightly larger than the other.
- Place the smaller disc on a sheet of waxed paper, and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, dust it lightly with more flour. Lay a 9- to 10-inch pie pan face down on top of the circle; flip the pan over and remove the paper. For the crust, on a sheet of waxed paper, roll out the other disc to form a 14-inch circle. Do not roll the dough more than necessary.
- Sprinkle the tapioca on the bottom crust. Add the filling, mounding it in the center, and dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Lift the waxed paper with the remaining crust and flip it over the filling. Peel back waxed paper. Trim the edges of the crusts and pinch together the top and bottom crusts. Optional: Roll out the trimmings and cut into decorative shapes. Brush the pie with the egg, and arrange the shapes on the crust. Sprinkle with sugar. Poke fork holes or cut vents in the top crust. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Enjoy!