I am not even sure how to explain how I know Rachel Lee. To keep it simple, she’s one of the many great people I met in New Orleans. She lives in Santa Fe now, but we share a love of our Texas roots and stories. Rachel just got back from a Texas road trip to see her grandmother Jane. So we sat down and she shared stories about her namesake, her great-grandmother Rachel Sue, and MEAN PIES.

Rachel Lee Waldrop

Aine: Tell me about your great-grandmother.

Rachel: I was named after her. We called her Grannie. She died when I was 17. Rachel Sue was born in 1897 and raised on a ranch near San Angelo, Texas. She was half Cherokee and half Van Zandt. When she married my grandfather, it was a big deal. I am not sure his family ever really accepted her because of her being Cherokee.

Rachel Sue Van Zandt (middle) with mother (right) and sister

If you want to talk about how things come full circle, when she was 17 she went on a road trip in a Model T Ford from San Angelo to Santa Fe which of course is where I live now. It was 1914, so can you imagine that road trip. There were hardly any cars and women just didn’t do that. The amazing thing is she kept a journal of the trip and took photos, and I have a copy. She talks about how bad the roads are in New Mexico which I guess some things never change. But I want you to read it because it is really amazing this 17-year-old girl seeing these things. They talk about going to Jemez Pueblo and Soda Dam. She calls the road trip section “How We Forded It.”

Rachel Sue & her great granddaughter Rachel

Excerpts from Rachel Hendrick’s Journal-section HOW WE FORDED IT:

Outside of Clovis, NM “we inspected a fruit orchard. The trees were loaded with peaches, apples, and plums. Also grapes. This is not the only orchard in this country however, although the crops as a rule are late the orchards are up to date. There are very few houses. Most of them are half dugouts made of mud.

After leaving the plains we came upon cap rocks. The scenery was beautiful, some of the places reminded us of cliff dwellers. We crossed the Pecos (River) and camped. The night like the other nights on the plains are much cooler than those of West Central Texas.

Finding Santa Fe an odd and old town which has many interesting places that were unexpected. There were many small houses, of which had flat tops and are all jammed up together on very narrow streets. Learning of the many places of interest, we have decided to spend two or three days here where we are close to the Indian village.

We visited the Palace of the Governors. There were relics of every kind from Prehistoric up to present day. The cliff dwellers were well represented. The pictures painted on the wall were very artistic. We visited the capital, the deaf and dumb asylum, the Indian school, the penitentiary, the old catholic church, and curios shops. Then deciding we had seen enough of the city we decided to take up our journey.”

Aine: Wow. She sounds like quite a lady.

Rachel: She was. I mean I guess she was raised on a ranch and was pretty adventurous. My great-grandfather was Wallace Hendricks, but his nickname was “Spot”. My daddy is named after him. Wallace raised registered Rambouillet sheep. He was known for those sheep, and was well-respected. I guess in that area people would said “if Spot said it, you can count on it.”

Rachel Sue & Rachel

Aine: So tell me about your Grannie’s pie recipe.

Rachel:  Well first let me say I had the recipe, but when I visited my grandma Jane last week I made sure I had it right. But you know how our grandmas are…they will say “well you put some flour in a bowl.” And then you ask “well how much flour?” and they will say “well just some flour.” and you ask “well like 2 cups?” and they say ” yeah about two cups.” (laughter) So that is exactly how this went, so as with any pie crust, you know they say do it until it feels right.

Aine: How did these pies get their names?

Rachel: Well my grandma Jane said that her Daddy Wallace loved pies. But since they had this ranch, they had to feed not only their family but the ranch hands as well. And they almost always had apricots. They had other fruit too, but usually apricots the most. My Grannie would make these pies and Wallace would say ” Rachel Sue, those sure are some MEAN PIES. So that just stuck and we have always called them mean pies. When I was a kid we would ask her to make her mean pies.

Rachel, her Mother Kathleen, Grandma Jane and Grannie Rachel Sue

Grannie’s Mean Pies

Filling:

Use dried fruit or fresh. If using dried, use about 1/2 a pound ( 2 to 3 bags). Put in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Add a cup of sugar. Bring to boil, turn down and simmer, then add about 1/4 cup brown sugar. Cook on low about 30-40 minutes. Let cool.

Crust

– Put some flour in a bowl, about 2 cups

– Add a couple of teaspoons of sugar

– Add a tsp or so of salt

– Cut in a half a cup of shortening or butter (Crisco works the best)

– Mix it in with a pastry cutter

– Add 3/4 cup buttermilk or heavy cream

– Beat an egg. Add it in and mix well.

– Add about 1/2 a cup of ICE water (it has to be ICE water. My grandma made that plain and clear) Mix.

– Should be a little sticky

Turn out the crust dough onto a floured surface, roll out with floured pin. Should be about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into circles, maybe about 4-5 inches round. A small bowl or mug works well as a cutter.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the middle of the circle. Dip your finger into a glass of water and run it around the rim of the circle. Press sides together, making a half circle. Crimp edges with a fork.

Deep fry in at least 3 inches veggie oil, turning only once. Make sure oil is hot at least 350-370 degrees. or Bake in medium oven (325ish) until done.

Sprinkle with sugar before cool.

Sunset at the ranch