Fall is creeping in, and with it: apple season!  This is the time to brush up on your apple pie skillz.  Impress your friends!  Amaze your enemies!  Make THE BEST PIE EVER!  

Forthwith, six hard-won lessons from the pie frontier:

1.    Neatness Counts
Take the time to slice your apples thinly, and to stack them nicely inside the pie.  Don't just give them a quick chop, then dump them into the crust.

If you don't have one of those clever spiral slicing gizmos, plan to spend 15-30 minutes slicing.  Turn on the radio, listen to a podcast, or watch the news - whatever it takes to make sure you won't get bored or frustrated and take a shortcut.  

When layering the slices into the crust, get as Martha Stewart as you can about it.  Layering the slices nicely is what makes the difference between a real pie, and a collection of chunks sitting high and dry with the delicious goop all puddle at the bottom.  Fitting the slices together properly is key to aesthetic considerations, taste, and structural integrity.

2.    Gadgets Aren't Necessary
The aforementioned spiral apple slicing gizmo is neat, but completely unnecessary.  The same goes for pie whistles, crust protectors, and everything else.  The only thing you need is a pie pan.  Keep Pie Simple!

3.    Leave The Skin On!
I doubt it's true that "all the nutrients are in the skin."  But I do know that peeling apples is completely unnecessary.  The skin is delicious, and adds a nice bit of color.  It's part of what makes the difference between a bland, pale, store-bought pie and a delicious, flavorful homemade pie.

4.    Simple Is Better
There are an awful lot of recipes out there that have you add everything from sour cream to cracker crumbs.  That's all well and good, but I believe that pie should be pie.  The basic apple pie recipe is as simple as it gets:

7 cups sliced apples
½ cup sugar (more or less, depending on your mood and the apples themselves)
¼ cup flour (more or less, depending on how juicy the apples are)
1 T cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
Pinch salt

Toss, then layer in pie crusts and bake!

5.    Mix It Up, Apple-Wise
When I was a kid, your apple choices at the store were basically limited to red or green.  Thankfully, that's no longer the case!  Choose a variety of apples for a truly exceptional pie.  I like to use 2-3 crisp tart apples as a taste platform, then choose another 2-3 of whichever varieties look best at the store.

Of course, the best pie is made with fresh apples from your yard, or a neighbor's.  Keep an eye out, because ripe apples - one of the most widely-planted fruit trees in the country - are everywhere!  Any apple can be made into a pretty tasty pie.

6.    Always Cut Slits in the Top Crust
Just trust me on this one.  And I recommend putting your pie pan atop a cookie sheet in the oven to catch any drips even still.

Photo credit: Flickr/edwardkimuk