Mangle, Anyone?

While my parents were visiting us last week, my mom and I spent an afternoon making pies together.  Three gloriously beautiful, perfect pies.

And then Spiff and I cleared up a five-year misunderstanding.

It took us five years to realize that there was an understanding to clear up.  But don't you worry, because it's all settled, and it's back to peace, love and happiness in Spiffville.

It is all about pie.

Have I mentioned that Spiff loves pie?  He does.  A lot.  A whole lot more than me.  I like pie, and I'll happily eat a good one, but I can take it or leave it, as far as desserts are concerned.

I am more interested in the making of good pie.  Over the years, I have come across a few excellent pie recipes.  I can make a good pudding pie.  I make an excellent lemon meringue.  I even conquered my mom's pie crust (which I have to admit is not the flaky, buttery, tricky-to-work-with pie crust that I still haven't dared to try, but which is delicious nonetheless).

The one thing that has eluded me is the making of fruit pies, which happen to be Spiff's favorite.  I have tried and tried with various recipes, from BH&G to internets, and I always seem to be severely disappointed with the results.  I sorely dislike a black/blueberry pie that taste fine, but is a watery mess when it is cut.  All that hard work, and it turned out like that?!  What a disgrace!

While making pies with my mom, I finally stumbled across a blackberry pie recipe that turns out well.  It baked up well, cut like a dream, and was absolutely not a runny mess inside. Oh, and it was delicious.  I told Spiff that I will be happy to make it again sometime, now that I have something that I know will turn out for me.  He said, "But I still want you to make Mangle!"

I exclaimed my confusion, "Why would you want a gross watery slop, when you could have this?!?!"

We discussed, and we discovered our misunderstanding.

My version:
I made a blackberry pie for Spiff a few years ago that turned out the way I described.  I tried again some time later with the same disappointing results.  Spiff didn't seem to mind, since they tasted good.  After cutting into one watery, mangled-up pie, he dubbed it a "Blackberry Mangle."  A Delicious Mangle.  He continued to ask me to make them occasionally.  I got tired of my pies turning out like poo, so I stopped making them, and I couldn't figure out why he consistently wanted me to make a poorly-made pie.

His version:  I (apparently) made a blackberry cobbler five years ago, which he says I named a "Mangle."    He has been asking me to make a "Mangle" ever since.  I have not done this, and he can't figure out why.  I have no recollection of making that cobbler, or of naming it a mangle.

We have been referring to two separate desserts for the past five years.  He has not been asking for poorly-made pie, but for blackberry cobbler.  Mystery solved!

Now I at least have a good blackberry pie recipe.  If only I could find that Cobbler/mangle recipe I made five years ago, life could truly be complete.