KNBC Pie Segments Parts I and II

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PIE-A-DAY #51

My life is hectic, so hectic sometimes, that if someone were watching I would look like a cartoon character actually running in circles.  Like the morning a month or so ago when I forgot that I had an appearance scheduled on KNBC.  In the Evan world (a lot like the bizarro world) an appearance is almost always accompanied by the schleppage of food – food that has to be made.  So it’s 11am and I realize that I have to be in Burbank by 4:20 (not 4:15 or 4:30 you note) with 3 pies that look good enough to be on air.  I panic and literally start running around in circles.  What pies?  I decided on Tomato with Cheddar Garlic Streusel, Coconut Banana Cream and something fruity.  I start in on the custards.  Soon I am covered in flour and every surface of my formerly clean kitchen is trashed.  I make headway then panic.

I call Kathy, chef of Angeli, and beg for help.  She arrives like the superwoman she is only missing a cape.  Then the cartoon begins.  We’re both running around in circles.  My countertop oven can only fit one pie at a time.  I go to a neighbor and ask to use their oven.  Meanwhile there is a catering emergency at Angeli.  The texts start pouring in from Ivana, our catering manager.  Then I remember it’s not enough to just finish making the pies.  I need to look presentable too.  Ugh.

Run to the shower – run to the closet – Kathy runs to the neighbor’s house for the errant pie.  I start running out the door.  The cell rings, I scream into the phone (thinking I’m talking to Ivana) “I can’t talk now, I have to go to KNBC!  Then I hear a very sweet, very polite voice say, “Evan, it’s Rebecca from KNBC.  I’m really sorry to tell you, but your Pie segment is being bumped because of the wildfires.”  I apologize profusely for screaming at her.  I disconnect and fall into a heap on the couch alternately laughing and sobbing.  I take the pies to Angeli where the waiters don’t sell them.

Part II
A few weeks later Rebecca calls to reschedule.  I write down what pies I am going to make.  I start working on the dough a week in advance and put it in the freezer.  The day before I make all the custards for the cream pie and buy all the ingredients for the Tomato and Blueberry Pies.  I make the refrigerated blueberry pie filling the night before.  It’s a revelation.  I wake up at 6am the next morning to blind bake the piecrusts.  I am finished making the pies by 11am.  I take a shower, get dressed and think how lucky I am to have lost 15 pounds since the first time I was supposed to be on the 5pm newscast.  I load up the truck and fight through Hollywood traffic on my way to Burbank.  Everyone is lovely.  I meet Ana Garcia who will be my host.  Colleen Williams turns out to be a pie expert.  One of seven siblings, her job was to make the crust.  We banter about pie until it’s time to air.  Ana Garcia makes me look really good, even when Chuck Henry steals the Tomato Pie.  Afterward, Ivana (who met me at the studio) and I serve pie to people who it seems have never seen or eaten any.  They are eating cream pie off of napkins with no forks.

I’m very happy.  Thanks everyone at KNBC News (especially Rebecca!)

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