Free Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman

already know that you are a good cook, and so does our audience. So we decided to let someone who isn’t as . . . domestically inclined . . . try out some of the old ways of doing things. You have the ingredients you need, including the molasses we bought on our Amish country tour. She’ll have a few Amish recipe books to browse for tips. We’ll give Julie the actual recipe we want her to use just before filming. Should be a snap.”
    As much as Julie disliked cooking, Susan doubted very seriously that she would even approach comfort. Judging from the grin on Kendra’s face, she knew the same thing. And then Susan realized the truth—that was the whole idea. They wanted Julie to be awkward. They wanted her to fail. They thought that would make for interesting television.
    Well, it might make for interesting television, but they would have to look elsewhere. It wasn’t going to be easy, but by show time, Susan was going to have turned Julie into an adequate pie chef. One who could work even under primitive circumstances, and with the added pressure of cameras and all that went with them.
    A door slammed and soon a voice called out “Hey, what happened to our kitchen?” Whitney leaned into the living room.
    “Oh, that’s right. I’d forgotten. While we were out today they did a little work in there.”
    Whitney jumped over the steps. “Yeah, I see the stone they put on the floor and the wall, but they forgot one thing. They forgot to put the stove and oven back in place.”
    “The oven’s not here, and we’ve got a baking challenge in two days?” Heat prickled across Susan’s scalp. She’d been so focused on the living room, she hadn’t even entered the kitchen.
    “Not to worry. That old gas range was a fire hazard, so we took it out. Your brand-new oven will be installed in plenty of time for the baking challenge.”

     
    Julie picked up the amorphous piece of dough and tried to fit it into the pie tin. During the course of rolling it out, it had become less of a circle and more of a rectangle. This proved to be a problem now, because it wasn’t wide enough on two sides. She cut the extra dough from the longer sides and tried to squish them onto the shorter sides.
    “Julie, that looks piecemeal. Besides, it will break apart at the seam when you try to serve it. If you get it nice and round, then you won’t have this problem.” Susan shook her head as she said the words.
    “I think it just wants to be a rectangle. And you told me not to mess with the dough too much or it would get tough. Now, which way do you want me to play it?”
    Susan thought for a second before replying, “I want you to make it round.”
    “It’s not like I’m not trying, you know. Until this very moment, I don’t think I’ve ever tried to make my own pie crust before.”
    “That can’t possibly be true. You make homemade pecan pie at Christmas.”
    “I make the pie, not the crust. That’s why they have the refrigerated section in the grocery store, for things like pre-made pie crusts.”
    “Okay, how about when you were in Home Economics?”
    “I took World Geography instead.”
    “When you were a kid during the holidays?”
    “Dad and I bought a box of dressing mix, a can of creamed corn, and a frozen pie and called it good.”
    “Wow.” Susan pondered this for a minute. “I keep forgetting about your past. I guess it’s no wonder you’re not a very good—” Her face reddened and she looked away. “I mean, that you didn’t learn a lot of the things I take for granted.”
    Julie turned her attention back to the pie plate, trying to ignore the sting caused by Susan’s slip. She pulled the crust out and couldn’t help but put some of her frustration into smashing the dough back into a ball, prepared to try again.
    “Okay, everyone, your new clothes washer has arrived. Come check it out.” Kendra breezed into the kitchen, followed closely by the camera crew. A broad smile lit her face as she gestured