Her name was Gertrude Elaine Harrington, but to us kids, she was just Aunt Gertie.  The most unique, unspoiled, innocent, funny and godly person I have ever known.  She was one of a kind and a person that you could never think about without smiling.

For those who knew her, there is absolutely no question that on August 8th, 2001, the pearly gates of heaven opened wide and one of the dearest souls on earth found her final resting place at last. It was her goal, her dream, and her only ambition to meet her Maker. 

She was born in 1913, just after the turn of the last century, in North Loop, Nebraska.  But her dad soon moved the family to Council Bluffs, Iowa and built a “temporary” house up on a bluff that managed to stay standing long enough to see Gertrude through her childhood and seventy years of teaching piano lessons.  She took care of her dad, mother, brother and grandmother in that house until they died, without complaint. She and the house outlived everyone in the whole family…both made out of sturdy stuff!

She fell in love once with a handsome young racecar driver.   But, during their engagement, he was killed in a race.  That’s when she devoted herself to music – and she brought lots of it into the world through her teaching.  

At first, she would walk from door to door, bringing her sheet music with her, as she taught children after their evening suppers.  Whether it was snowing, raining, cold or hot, the children could see her coming from down the road, braving the elements, bringing their lessons to them with a smile.  She was a good eater, even though most of her life she weighed all of one hundred pounds, so families enjoyed sharing their suppers with the piano teacher and slipped her a slice of pie while the children were practicing their lessons.  

No one can remember seeing Gertrude shed a tear, worry, say a cross word, or utter an unkind statement about anything or anybody.  After she had given up teaching door to door, students who forgot to bring their music to Poverty Gulch (which she fondly named the old home) were treated with a smile as she pulled out a hymnal, opened it and said, “right page or left?” Never a word of admonishment to them for their forgetfulness…although they seldom forgot their sheet music again! 

My mother, her only sister, chose quite a different life.  Married to my sweet father, Dick Francis, they raised six children in San Antonio, Texas. Mildred would often invite her sister, Gert down to Texas for holidays and special family occasions.  We had no idea how hard it must have been for Aunt Gert to purchase an airline ticket with her meager earnings.  But I know now that she only charged $1.50 per lesson and in later years increased her lesson fee to a whopping $5 .00. And, when she would arrive in Texas to be with us at Christmas or Thanksgiving, we would greet her with a hero’s welcome – lots of hugs and shouts and laughter!  She had a way of making you feel like you were the most fascinating person on earth, listening for hours to your thoughts, dreams and imaginings.  We loved visits with our Aunt Gertie!

She was old-fashion in every way.  She shielded herself from worldliness by never owning an automobile, a television or taking the newspaper.  Nor did she care much for politics, foul language or even a hint of unkindness to animals or humans. She boiled her food, drank hot water instead of coffee or tea, wrapped her garbage with brown paper and twine into neat little packages for the garbage men, possessed the most beautiful penmanship and wrote long, flowing letters, and wouldn’t kiss anyone on the lips because “it was unsanitary!” If someone gave her a pair of shoes two sizes too big, she would just stuff the toes and wear them. Every gift she ever got, she kept as a precious remembrance of the giver. T he programs of every music recital, that every one of her students ever attended, was kept as an acknowledgement of their success – not hers.

In spite of the fact that Aunt Gert was by her own admission, “an old fashion spinster”, she constantly delighted family, friends and students with her unique sense of humor.  It was the kind of humor that took a lot of thought.  Of course, she always had “time” to think, pray, listen, teach and play little humorous tricks on people!  One of the funniest tricks she played was on one of her grown students.  After purchasing her headstone in the family plot, she asked him to drive her up to the cemetery.  With great haste and care, he came to Poverty Gulch and put Gertrude into the car.  Upon arriving at the cemetery, he stopped in front of the family plot.  He asked Gertrude if she would like to get out of the car.  Aunt Gert said with much certainty, “NO!”  He queried why had she asked him to drive her up to the cemetery, then? Didn’t she want to get out and look at the new headstone? Her answer was a “Gertie classic”.  She said, “I will now be able to tell people you drove me to my grave!”   She never did see the headstone, but she did tell the story often and with great glee!

She liked to kid around about living in Poverty Gulch, but everybody knows that Gertrude Harrington actually lived a very rich life.  Through her kindness and generosity, people lovingly remember her with lots of funny stories, touching moments of true friendship, and how safe they felt because she would remember them in her prayers, not just once in a while, but every day. 

For my sisters and I, Aunt Gertie left us with nicknames that make us feel special…Katy Did, Pamie Wamie, Janet Sue … and for me, Tricia Lane.  These are terms of endearment so rich with memories that for the rest of my life when someone calls me Tricia Lane, I will remember the joys of being related to the uniquely funny, godly, and special…Miss Gertrude Elaine Harrington of Poverty Gulch.  

HOMEMADE PEACH HAND PIES

Ingredients for the pastry crust:

• one recipe of our double crust pie dough
• or, use two store-bought refrigerator crusts
• 1 large egg mixed with milk for brushing over the pastry rounds to seal

Ingredients for the peach filling:

• fresh peaches
• granulated sugar
• cornstarch
• ground cinnamon
• salt
• lemon juice
• almond extract

For the icing:

• powdered sugar
• milk or cream for thinning
• almond extract

First prepare the peaches:

Peel and dice the peaches into 1/2-inch pieces. Sprinkle sugar over the peaches and toss gently to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to macerate.

While the peaches are making their amazing juice, prepare a double crust pie pastry. Divide the dough in half and form into disks. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. This step can be done the day before making the hand pies.

Drain the peaches into a saucepan. Set the drained peaches aside. Whisk cornstarch, cinnamon and salt into the peach juice. Cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. Cook for a few minutes while whisking constantly, or until the mixture thickens into syrup.

Remove from the heat and add lemon juice and almond extract. Gently fold the peaches into the syrup. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the hand pies:

Roll one of the pastry crusts to about 1/8th inch thick. Cut as many 4-inch rounds as you can at first pass. Set the scraps aside.

Place the 4-inch dough rounds on a large piece of parchment.

Beat the egg and milk together then brush over the surface of the pastry rounds. Place one heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each pastry. Pull up the sides to make the hand pie look like a taco. Start sealing the edges working from the bottom up to the middle. Press the edges of the pie together using the tines of a fork.

Cut a few small slits in the top too vent. Refrigerate the unbaked pies for 30 minutes before baking.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

To bake the hand pies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the tops of the pies with a little milk or egg wash mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the hand pies to a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the icing:

Whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled pies and serve immediately.

To drizzle or not to drizzle?

Since the filling is not over-the-top sweet, the little drizzle really adds just the right amount of icing. Almond extract gives this simple icing that special extra something, and it pairs perfectly with the peaches.

You can also sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking for a sweeter, crispier pie.

Can you freeze Peach Hand Pies?

These Peach Hand Pies can be frozen before they are baked or after. If you plan to freeze them after baking, wait to add the icing until ready to serve. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring the pies to room temperature before serving.

Peach Hand Pies are really just little pan-free peach pies you can hold in your hand.

No fork or plate required and that can be good or bad. Maybe you’re feeding a crowd at a picnic, or contractors that are still working in your kitchen. Whoever you share these little treats with, they will be thrilled.

The peach filling is not overly sweet, which is something I love. You can taste fresh peaches in each bite.

INSPIRATION: