Rules of pie

1. As with baking, usually best to weight ingredients such as flour to ensure accuracy.
2. Baking pie is like meditation: it cannot be rushed.
3. Handle dough lightly; keep it cool; bake it in a hot oven.
4. Use butter, never margarine, in a pie crust. Margarine contains extra water and a bunch of other stuff that mangles your crust's chemistry.
   (Shouldn't have to state this, but at times such specificity is required. I'm often asked if I use sugar substitutes or other "healthy" cheats. My answer: Never! I only make my dishes with the best ingredients I can locate.)

A pie bird, also called a pie funnel