A few months ago, a good friend told me that his favorite pie when he was growing up in Hawaii was lilikoi chiffon. I made a mental note. About a month before his birthday, I started researching recipes and I ordered the passionfruit juice from Kauai. I studied the recipe and practiced it in my head several times, because it's complicated. I decided to make the crust that went with the recipe, even though I have my own preferred crust that I've been making since I was a kid. That was the first of many mistakes.
After I made the filling, I decided I couldn't put it into that ugly crust, so I went to Kroger at 9 p.m. last night and just bought a crust like a loser who can't make her own pie crust. Baked it, cooled it, filled it, put it in the fridge to set, went to bed around 10:30.At 11:15, Sarah crashed into my room and announced, "Mom. Your pie fell." I was sound asleep, but her words made me leap out of bed and rush to the kitchen, where a terrible sight greeted me.
So here you go, Doug. Happy birthday. I hope it's the thought that counts, because this pie sure doesn't.