DOG FACE PIE

We made Dog Face Pie today.

While waiting for my illusive muse to show up, I’m making a concerted effort to stay gentle with myself and my writing goals.

So, I’ve decided to include a quick story about this wonderful pie and the dog who loved it.

When Shadow, our flat coated retriever, was alive,  he was a brave boy. His coat was so thick he had hot flashes. Often, we’d see him laying in a snow bank, happy as a menopausal woman with her face in front of an open freezer.  He had many aliments including a stroke from which he recovered 90% and diabetes that ultimately contributed to his death. My husband gave our furry pal insulin shots twice a day for over a year. One night Rick said, grinning as he rubbed Shadow’s neck after an injection, “Well my Navy ABC school finally came in handy. You know –  atomic, biological and chemical warfare? We had to learn to give ourselves shots.” He was putting this harrowing knowledge to good use.

Shadow, always  the most well-mannered of dogs, never stole food from the table, begged, or disrupted our meals. His boring dog food was occasionally augmented with gravy or meat scraps. No sugar – ever. However, one day I heard the sound from the kitchen that only means one thing. Animal eating  something he shouldn’t. I raced in, astounded to find Shadow with his front paws on the counter and his face buried in a cooled apple pie. I couldn’t believe it, but it was such a funny sight I couldn’t be angry. (Besides, we had another pie.) From then on, the delicious dessert was christened Dog Face Pie. Any pie that makes a good dog break his leash (so to speak) needs a special name.

So: Prepare crust, fill with sliced apples, press a mixture of brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon over all. Cook for 1 hour. Remove and drizzle caramel sauce and top with pecans. Good enough for anyone, canine or human.

Yummy. This one’s for you my buddy.

What’s your favorite animal companion memory?