a true labor of love — that sends me back to my days as a child in my grandparents kitchen . It ’ s almost

lovely dinner dishes will begin filling

nostalgic in a way .

our homes and the scent of sweet

After we let the crust chill —

homebaked goodies , like cookies and

because you absolutely don ’ t want

pies , will have our mouths watering

it to get too hot before it goes in

before it ’ s even time to enjoy dessert

the oven — we began working on

with the family .

making the fillings . This came a little

Those smells started early for me

CHARLENE BELEW this year and since the smell and taste

easier for me than the crust ( probably because crust is my favorite and I

of sweet pecan pie has blessed my nostrils

really wanted to do well for my teacher who

and my mouth , I ’ ve been in the winter spirit

was so kind to invite me into her home and

— and ready to eat .

let me bake a pie with items she provided ).

Normally , each magazine , I have some

We made the pecan filling , and into the oven

mention of how cool my job is because of

they went .

all the experiences it lets me have . My most

We waited for the pies to bake and worked

recent experience brought me into the home

on our cherry filling . When it came time

of Julie and Wayne McKinney where award

to clean up , I had the camera in my hands

winning pie baker Julie taught me all the

and must have lost my manners because I

secrets she was willing to share . We had fun

didn ’ t offer to help with dishes until it was

and my taste buds were blessed with the most

too late . Julie joked with me , but I knew my

delicious pie I ’ ve ever eaten . Let me just say , I

grandparents would ’ ve been ashamed — I

can see why she ’ s award winning

should know better , being from a southern

I got to meet the couple ’ s three pups , and

family . Still , throughout the experience I

Bob quickly became my favorite — which is

noticed one thing about the whole afternoon

good , because he hung out the entire time we

I had with Julie really stuck with me : the love

were in the kitchen , napping on the floor as

and craft of pie baking is about the bond it

Julie and I traded stories of our families and

builds within families .

of course , our doggies .

Making a pie from scratch — from the crust

Julie , who began her pie journey a while

all the way to the filling — takes quite a while .

back , helped me through the process . She

Sharing it with your loved ones , though ,

taught me how to make pecan pie — my

regardless of how much time you put in , will

favorite — and cherry pie ( let the record

always be worth it .

show , I wasn ’ t a fan of cherry pie until Nov .

You see , when I talked to Julie about her

4 , 2022 , when I spent time with Julie and

fondness of pie , she herself said it ’ s about the

discovered what a real cherry pie filling

family component . And for three hours while

should taste like ).

I was with Julie , I truly felt like family .

We first began with making the crust — the

I think that ’ s the theme of our book this

most important part . Julie , on one side of the

winter — feeling like family . And we have so

kitchen , had her mixing bowl while I had

many stories that show how Stephens County

mine . She went step-by-step with me through

comes together to make sure everyone is

the one-finger mixing technique ( I definitely

taken care of — just like a family would .

won ’ t forget this part ) and we learned that I

That includes a family helping their mother

was the messier of the two of us . In fact , I had

with her enchanted dreams of a fairy village ,

so much flour that managed to get outside

the Sheriff ’ s Department and a family who

of the bowl and onto the counter from my

go the extra mile to bring Christmas to those

mixing that Julie added more to my bowl ,

who need it and a church that pulls out all

chuckling slightly . She said I reminded her

of the stops to make the music of Christmas

of the group of 4-H ’ ers she worked with ,

happen . And then of course , enjoying a slice

which you ’ ll read about later in this book ,

of pie with those around you and the ones

and I really did feel like a kid again . There ’ s

you love .

4

something about baking — despite it being

DUNCAN MAGAZINE | WINTER 2022

There really is nothing better than that .