November 2, 2025 • 37 mins
Flaky pie crust isn’t magic—it’s method. We sit down with Chef Alekka Sweeney to unpack the science and the small choices that turn holiday baking from stressful to satisfying.
We go beyond pies to build a full, flexible holiday playbook. Stock the pantry with non-perishables now, refresh tired baking powder and soda, and freeze multiple dough discs so you can bake on your schedule. Alekka shares her favorites—bourbon chocolate pecan pie, apple filling with real sauce and texture, and plum or pear frangipane tarts. When guests want “just a taste,” mini pies in muffin tins offer variety without leftovers.
We also highlight class offerings like the always-sold-out “I Forgot To Make A Pie” session with dough practice and fillings, and her upcoming live demos. The throughline is preparation: test new recipes before the big day, plan components you can make ahead, and use the freezer as your ally... all keys to sweet success. Happy holiday baking!
Subscribe, share with a friend who loves dessert, and leave a review with your biggest pie question—what should we bake together next?
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Doug (00:00):
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
If you are the not-so oftenbaker like me and your pie plate
is as dusty as the flour in thecupboard, then this week's show
is for you.
We get a lesson in pie bakingand more from Chef Alekka
(00:20):
Sweeney.
Alekka (00:22):
Looks like the game Simon.
Doug (00:24):
I know, and we can we can do.
When you start getting reallyrowdy, I can answer you.
Speaker (00:32):
Keep your hand on that button.
Doug (00:34):
I usually keep it right there.
No one has done it.
In post, I'll take it out.
We want to keep that explicitrating off of the podcast.
Okay, fine.
Alekka (00:42):
You get more listeners that way.
Doug (00:44):
Well, that's it.
Well, thank you so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Would you take a moment toreintroduce yourself to our
listeners?
Alekka (00:54):
Uh I'm Chef Alekka Sweeney.
I'm a private chef here inPittsburgh.
So I think it should be likeSaturday Night Live when like
the Five Timers Club, you get ajacket.
Oh.
So this is my third time.
Well, you gave me some soup.
Doug (01:07):
I did.
I we did have a little snack,I'll say, before we started.
Well, if we get uh if we getmore followers like you, and in
fact, you have been such a greatongoing friend and supporter of
the show, then we couldprobably afford some merch.
Okay.
Maybe you'll get a jacketsomeday.
Jacket will be a good one.
Maybe I can work with a t-shirtfirst.
Speaker (01:25):
Okay, I'll go with t-shirt's fine.
A magnet.
Doug (01:29):
Oh, there you go.
A sticker.
A sticker.
I can give you a sticker today.
Well, Alekka, I've asked you tocome back on the show because I
know you are such a uh, I'lljust say a champion and expert
in the world of baking, which Iam not.
I am the occasional baker.
And we're getting into the fallholiday season.
(01:52):
I think everyone has maybe apumpkin pie on the brain.
And so I thought it would begreat to take this episode and
talk about baking, some tips,tricks, ingredients, things that
you know about.
But before we dive in, I'd loveto dive into some of your
history.
You have quite a resume inbaking.
(02:14):
Yes.
Tell me a little bit more aboutyour baking history.
Alekka (02:18):
Well, I always tell people that I didn't choose
baking.
It chose me in kind of aroundabout way.
I was working um in arestaurant in Philadelphia where
the pastry chef at the timekind of disappeared for a month
with kind of some of his ownissues.
Doug (02:39):
So you became a pastry chef.
Alekka (02:41):
I did because I was the, you know, you were it.
I was young.
Doug (02:45):
Yeah.
Alekka (02:46):
Nobody else wanted to do it.
And they kind of turned to meone day and said, We need a
wedding cake this weekend.
Doug (02:52):
Oh my gosh.
Alekka (02:53):
Figure it out.
Doug (02:54):
Wow.
Yeah.
Not just a dessert for thisservice, but somebody's big day.
Alekka (02:59):
Yeah.
unknown (03:00):
Wow.
Alekka (03:00):
So I relied a lot on Martha Stewart.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Alekka (03:04):
And uh Joy of Cooking.
And there was a woman therethat did help me, but that's how
I got into it.
And I think the way that mymind works, I have more of a
statistical mind where formulasreally resonate with me.
So I think that's why I reallylike baking.
Doug (03:25):
Baking.
Because there is more formulaand more science.
Exactly.
A little more planning.
Alekka (03:31):
And then you get to be creative.
Doug (03:33):
I am so none of those.
It's easy.
I like to say I'm theoccasional baker.
My mom is the pie master, but Ijust occasionally bake maybe
half a dozen times a year.
So I've picked up some things.
So I know you have so much moreknowledge than me.
Alekka (03:51):
Well, this was also a classic French restaurant.
Oh my goodness.
So that's, you know, from rightout of culinary school, I just
landed myself into learning howto make classic French pastries.
Doug (04:04):
And when you were in culinary school, was pastry part
of it.
It is.
Alekka (04:08):
It is part of it's usually the last session you go
through.
And I remember the chefinstructor said to me, I
remember we all walked in, it'sa cold kitchen.
This is Pennsylvania CulinaryInstitute.
And I, first thing I did is Iturned on all of the convection
ovens without even thinkingabout it.
And the chef walks in and he'slike, Who turned on the ovens?
(04:32):
And everybody's like, Oh myGod, oh my God.
Doug (04:35):
This was in culinary school.
Alekka (04:36):
This is culinary school.
So I just kind of like raise myhand, like, yes, chef, that was
me.
And he pointed at me.
He's like, You're gonna be agood pastry chef.
Doug (04:44):
Oh.
Well, that's just great.
And this was part of yourcurriculum, but it wasn't
necessarily a core focus.
And then all of a sudden youget this wedding cake in the
French restaurant.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And from there, let's jumpahead a little bit.
Alekka (04:59):
So then I moved to Atlanta.
Doug (05:00):
Yeah.
Alekka (05:01):
And like I said, it's public that I lied on my resume
to be the assistant pastry cheffor a company there that had
three restaurants and a cateringcompany.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Okay.
Alekka (05:12):
This was not French, but the pastry chef was really way
above his time with plateddesserts.
Doug (05:19):
Wow.
Okay.
Alekka (05:20):
So he told me that he had a choice.
He pretty much figured out myfirst day that I did not know
what I was doing.
He figured it out.
So he made me into a project.
I was there for five years.
Oh, wow.
So learning how to do likechocolate work and how to like
really refine, you know, whatI've learned and using like
silicon molds and how to put aplated dessert together.
Doug (05:43):
Did that really expand your craft those five years?
Alekka (05:46):
It did.
And then also, you know, at 25,26, I think, I had to manage a
staff.
Doug (05:53):
Wow.
Yeah.
Alekka (05:54):
Learning how to do that.
Doug (05:55):
Can I jump us a little bit further?
Alekka (05:58):
Please do.
Doug (05:58):
So you end up in Chicago.
Alekka (06:00):
End up in Chicago.
Doug (06:02):
And tell me about your business there.
Alekka (06:04):
So at that time, the food network had just started
and like the ace of cakes andcupcake wars.
Right.
Got to be really popular.
And that time I was, I wouldn'tsay, I think I was, I was tired
of working for other people.
I think an entrepreneur gets toa point where they're like, I
want to do this myself.
So I did a lot of marketresearch around to Chicago and I
(06:28):
couldn't find a place that wasjust dedicated to baking and
pastry classes.
It would be like sushi andpasta and and maybe an
occasional class.
Doug (06:39):
But you found a gap in the market.
I found a gap in the market.
Awesome.
Alekka (06:44):
And uh my real estate agent found a Montessori school
that already had everything thatI needed.
Wow.
So I signed the lease and Istarted my company there.
And I started out with a basiccake decorating class.
And in the decade that I hadit, that was hands down my most
(07:04):
popular class that I taught.
Doug (07:06):
Remind me the name of your business.
Alekka (07:08):
Give me some sugar.
That's for my Atlanta days.
Yeah.
Like, come here, baby, give mesome sugar.
Oh.
Doug (07:14):
Now life happens and we move forward again.
And now you're here inPittsburgh.
And what are you doing rightnow in the world of baking?
Alekka (07:24):
So I am teaching as many baking classes as I can and
offering them at my sharedkitchen space.
Doug (07:32):
This is the Hilltop Shared Kitchen.
Alekka (07:34):
Hilltop Shared Kitchen in Mount Oliver.
Doug (07:36):
And did I also just see you were teaching a class
recently at Botany Hall, who wejust had on?
Oh yeah, test.
Alekka (07:42):
And you had like 10.
Doug (07:44):
I made 10 batches of pie dough.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
I don't think I've made onebatch of pie dough.
Alekka (07:50):
I want to thank Erin G.
McDowell for that.
So I make her all butter piecrust.
And there's a way I'll I'lltell you my tips for that, but I
did that.
I timed myself.
I did that in about an hour and15 minutes.
Doug (08:04):
Those 10 batches of all buttercrust pie dough.
Alekka (08:07):
Yes.
Doug (08:08):
Oh my gosh.
So Alekka, I think what we'resaying, and I think I might have
made the right choice.
I want to talk about baking forthe rest of this episode.
And you have the skills to do.
Alekka (08:16):
I think I do.
A couple.
Doug (08:18):
A side question
kids?
Alekka (08:23):
Yes.
Okay.
Um, I like to do them in thesummertime and my kids' summer
baking camps.
And then I'm gonna have oneafter the 25th of December.
There's like that time thatkids are not back at school.
Yeah.
And parents are like, what am Igonna do with my kids?
And like the holiday high isdown, you know, is gone.
Yes.
So I do a kids' winter bakingcamp.
Doug (08:45):
I love this.
So you've got stuff in theworks right now.
Yes.
Okay.
Well, we'll get to that.
Let's make sure we talk aboutanything you have upcoming, any
events.
But I do want to cover pies.
Alekka (08:54):
Let's oh, I I could talk pies for all day.
Doug (08:57):
Okay.
Alekka (08:57):
All day.
Doug (08:58):
We could go into cakes and other pastries, but I'd also
like to talk about ingredientsand even equipment.
If you have any tips around anyof that, where would you like
to start?
Alekka (09:09):
So um my dad always laughs because I always have
from this probably this time ofthe year until January 1st.
Doug (09:17):
And we're talking about mid-October.
Yes.
Alekka (09:19):
I have a glass measuring cup Pyrex of water in my
parents' refrigerator at alltimes.
There's about a cup of water inthere.
Doug (09:27):
Chilled water.
Alekka (09:28):
Chilled water in preparation of making pie dough.
Doug (09:30):
Okay.
So you're ready.
Alekka (09:32):
My first tip of making pie dough is everything cold.
Doug (09:36):
All right.
Alekka (09:37):
Butter, the water.
Um, I have a bag of all-purposeflour in my freezer.
Doug (09:43):
You do.
You know, I know that we wantchilled butter because it
becomes more flaky when we workit in, but um, why all the other
things?
Like, why is it important tokeep the flour cold and and the
cold water?
Alekka (09:56):
Think about your body in the wintertime.
You're really tensed up.
Doug (10:01):
Okay.
Alekka (10:02):
And then your body in the summertime, you're kind of
like fluid and on relaxed.
So you the whole goal is to toreally slow down the development
of the gluten in the flour.
Doug (10:12):
Okay.
So keeping it chilled.
Alekka (10:13):
So keeping it chilled.
Doug (10:15):
Keeps it tense, keeps those proteins tense.
Alekka (10:17):
They tense up.
And it's also easier to, youknow, mix in cold butter because
you have to I have hot hands,what they say in the pastry
world.
They're pretty warm.
So if when I'm working with icecold butter, it's easier for me
to incorporate that into myflour and salt.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Okay.
Alekka (10:36):
And I keep my butter.
I was taught a long time agothat the butter should look like
sand.
Doug (10:42):
Okay.
Not the peas a little smaller.
Alekka (10:45):
A little bit smaller.
Okay.
Doug (10:46):
When you work it in, when you work it into the flour.
Alekka (10:49):
Correct.
So I went to Chicago andsomebody taught me a completely,
totally different way that blewmy mind.
Because you have pie dough doesnot have any leavening in it.
There's no baking powder,there's no baking soda, there's
no yeast.
Doug (11:02):
You're relying on the that little percentage of water in
the butter.
Alekka (11:06):
And the water that you put in there.
Doug (11:08):
Yeah.
Alekka (11:08):
And it evaporates and creates steam and gives you
those layers.
Doug (11:12):
That flakiness.
Alekka (11:14):
So my trick is when you put your there's two ways you
can do it.
Some people take like thebigger end of the box grater and
the great cold butter into theflour.
I do that when I make scones.
Yes.
Okay.
But when I do pie dough, I willcut my one stick of unsalted
(11:35):
butter into about four bigchunks.
Doug (11:38):
Yes.
Alekka (11:39):
And then I'll put it in my flour and just make sure that
those chunks are coated in theflour first.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Okay.
Alekka (11:46):
Then I'll use my hands, or you can use one of those
pastry cutters.
I have my grandmother's.
I'm a big tactile person.
Doug (11:53):
I want you want to do this with your hands.
You like this.
Yeah.
Alekka (11:56):
So I I kind of tried to make the butter look like
Pringles.
Okay.
Does that make sense?
Doug (12:03):
Yeah, like little sheets.
Alekka (12:04):
Like sheets.
Uh-huh.
Before I add the water at all.
Okay.
So some will be in like I callthem Pringles.
Some will be in the shape ofthe size of like a jolly
rancher.
You know, all different shapesand sizes.
Because you have to rememberwhen you add the liquid in,
you're mixing it some more.
Doug (12:23):
Yeah.
And so you're not using a foodprocessor typically for your
crust.
Well, you can, I mean, you cantell me yay, nay.
I don't know.
Alekka (12:32):
You can't.
Yes, you can't, but you reallywant to be mindful of how much
you're processing everything,especially when you're adding
the water.
Doug (12:39):
And more accessibly, let's just say your approach is don't
use a processor.
You would rather do it withyour hands and a pastry cover.
Alekka (12:45):
Yes.
Well, I was taught one day incall it when I went to advanced
pastry school.
The instructor took everythingaway that was plugged into the
wall.
Uh-huh.
And it was one week of doingeverything by hand.
Because if your kitchen aidbreaks or your cuisine art
breaks, you have to have a planB.
Doug (13:04):
Well, here's what I love about that anyway.
A lot of folks don't have thoseappliances.
And it's actually moresatisfying.
Alekka (13:11):
I find it very, it's almost like yoga for me when I
make pie dough.
So the amount of water that youput in my recipe, not my
recipe, the recipe I follow saysthree to four tablespoons.
Okay.
And I when I teach my bakingclasses, the first thing I say
to my students is trust theprocess.
(13:31):
Because I'm a grams girly.
I measure everything out on adigital scale.
I don't expect everybody to dothat.
So the amount of water reallydepends on what's going on
outside.
So if it's humid out, you'llprobably need three tablespoons
of water.
If it's like it is right now,very dry outside.
(13:52):
Very dry outside, you'llprobably need more.
Doug (13:55):
Yeah, like closer to four.
Alekka (13:56):
Closer to four.
So I tell my students, you canalways add, you can't take away.
Doug (14:02):
Right, right.
Alekka (14:02):
So especially after you add in the amount of water till
it looks like a shaggy dough,like a shag rug, then we will
dump all of that out onto thetable.
And people kind of panicbecause there's still some dry
portions of the flour.
And I say, well, this is thestep that we're gonna hydrate
(14:24):
the flour more into with thewater and the butter.
Doug (14:27):
So is this where we're like kind of bringing it
together, forming it in a disc?
Into a disc.
And then you have us.
I did this once with you.
This is why I remember.
We wrapped it in plastic wrap.
Alekka (14:37):
Right.
And a lot of people I will tendto put it what I call like a
bowling ball.
Doug (14:42):
You don't want that.
Alekka (14:42):
You don't want because you want to think about your
next step, which is which isrolling out.
Doug (14:46):
Right.
Alekka (14:47):
So I encourage people to put it in a disc, like a hockey
puck.
Doug (14:50):
Yes.
Alekka (14:51):
And that also you could make multi- you saw all those
batches of pie dough that I madein that big tower.
Doug (14:56):
Well, this is the picture I saw at Phipps Conservatory.
You had like 10 of these ofdough.
And so how long does that haveto rest to hydrate?
Alekka (15:05):
So at least a half an hour.
Doug (15:07):
Okay.
Like that's the minimum.
Alekka (15:09):
That's the minimum.
Because you want that butter toresolidify, you want the flour
to hydrate.
And you're putting it back inthe fridge.
And putting back in therefrigerator.
For the butter to harden backup.
So a lot of people ask me, howlong does the pie dough last?
And this is a really goodstory.
I made a batch of pie dough atPhipps's last week and I
brought it home and I used itthree days later to make a tart.
(15:33):
And my dad, who's had 57million of my pie, said to me,
He's like, Alekka, your crusttasted, you know, the texture
was different.
The pie dough that I had in therefrigerator for three days.
And I said, Well, that makessense because refrigerator sucks
out the moisture of things.
(15:55):
And I said, It's not as flakyas you're used to it being.
It's because it's been in therefrigerator for three days.
So it I mean, it still tastedgood.
Yeah.
But he's used to like me makingpie dough and using it and
baking it the same day.
Doug (16:10):
But you could probably go a day.
Alekka (16:12):
You could go a day.
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
But I would say it's kind ofpushing it for after like four
or five days because you'll getlike this gray kind of we don't
want that.
Yeah.
Doug (16:20):
Can you freeze it?
Alekka (16:21):
You can freeze it.
So unsalted butter lasts forthree months.
Doug (16:25):
Okay.
Alekka (16:26):
Salted, because salt is a preservative.
That's about six months.
Doug (16:30):
And you're talking about putting it wrapped tightly in
the in like some plasticwrapper.
Alekka (16:35):
And a freezer safe bag.
Doug (16:37):
And then in the freezer.
Alekka (16:38):
So if you make multiple batches like the in those discs,
then you can store a wholebunch in your freezer, pull it
out the night before you want touse it and put it in your
refrigerator.
Yes.
Doug (16:50):
Let it come back to temperature in the fridge part.
Alekka (16:53):
Yes.
Doug (16:53):
And so somebody out there listening could, if they're
going to make a pie in October,November, and December, they
could make three batches rightnow.
Alekka (17:00):
Yeah, I'm like, make your pie doughs now.
Oh, yeah.
And put them in your freezerand take it out.
And I use this pie dough forsweet and savory.
Doug (17:09):
Okay.
That's why you don't put anysugar in your crust.
You don't do the can I say it?
You don't do the pat sucrée?
Alekka (17:15):
No, you got it.
That's it.
Is that it?
Yeah, and there's pat brusset,too.
What's that?
That's kind of like the same aspie dough.
Doug (17:21):
All right.
But you do put a little salt inyour use correct.
Because you use unsaltedbutter.
Alekka (17:26):
And I put uh fresh herbs in this one.
Oh.
Doug (17:28):
So you can kind of savory one.
Alekka (17:30):
Yeah, you can jazz it up, as my dad would say.
Doug (17:32):
Sounds fun.
Alekka (17:33):
So I would put any other add-ins into the flour before
you put the butter in.
If you want to put dried herbsor nutmeg or anything like that,
put that into the flour and thesalt and whisk that together.
Doug (17:49):
Before you incorporate your then add your butter and
your water.
Got it.
Can we get a that easy sort ofrecipe you say you like to go
through?
Can we get that for?
Yes.
Alekka (17:58):
I'm going to credit Erin Jean McDowell.
Well, we can even link to her.
Yeah, please do, because shewrote the book on pie, which is
my pie bible.
I have this recipe memorized.
It's a cup and a quarter ofall-purpose flour, a quarter
teaspoon of salt, one stick ofunsalted butter, three to four
(18:19):
tablespoons of cold water.
Doug (18:21):
That refrigerator, cold water.
Alekka (18:23):
Yeah.
Come to my house, you'll seethe water in the refrigerator.
So if you don't have that inthe morning, if you wake up and
you're like, I want to make piedough, then put some ice in
water and put it in therefrigerator.
Yes, that will help get yourwater really cold.
Right.
But trust the process with thewater part.
Doug (18:42):
All right.
So you have me thinking tooabout these ingredients.
And you mentioned unsaltedbutter and the flour.
Can we talk about ingredientsfor a moment?
Alekka (18:52):
Well, I'm telling everybody to buy your
non-perishables now.
Oh.
Yes.
But I like King Arthur flour.
Doug (19:01):
Yeah, I like that too.
Alekka (19:02):
I like Kerrygold butter.
Doug (19:04):
Butter.
Alekka (19:05):
Mm-hmm.
Doug (19:05):
My mom's a King Arthur, and then she also finds this
other flour brand, Robin Hood.
She feels like they've hadmaybe just a slightly different.
Alekka (19:13):
Can you get that here in Pittsburgh?
I haven't seen it.
Doug (19:15):
I think she actually asks her local grocery store for it
because she did have it foryears, and then post-pandemic it
kind of took a long time tocome back.
But King Arthur, everyone seemsto love King Arthur.
Alekka (19:24):
Yeah, but if you don't want to spend that money, I've
made this pie dough with giganteagale flour and unsalted
butter.
And it doesn't affect it reallydoesn't.
If you don't remember the lasttime you bought your baking
powder and your baking soda, getrid of it.
Chuck it and buy fresh.
Doug (19:44):
Yeah, because it's such a special thing, right?
Alekka (19:47):
Like think my dad is infamous of running out the day
of Thanksgiving and gettingstuff.
So you can get your corn syrupsnow, your brown sugars now,
your pumpkin puree's, your nuts,anything that's non-perishable,
stock up on flour and sugars.
Doug (20:05):
Let me ask you uh I like to keep like nuts and like
coconut in the fridge.
I do too.
Oh no, I do it in the freezer.
You put it in the freezer, itkind of prolongs the life.
Alekka (20:14):
Yeah.
Doug (20:14):
And so I'm thinking about like the baking soda I like,
which comes in an orange box.
I might remember when I boughtit last, but if it's been open
and in the cupboard, it mighthave absorbed it.
Alekka (20:25):
It's always good to start fresh.
Yeah.
It really is, just to have thatextra insurance.
And they're only like a coupledollars.
Yeah, they're not thatexpensive.
This is Chef Alekka, and you'relistening to The Pittsburgh
Dish.
Doug (20:38):
When you bake pies, you mentioned you do some savory
things, but what are some ofyour favorite go-to sweet pies?
I'm sure everyone thinks aboutpumpkin.
Do you have anything else inyour brain?
Alekka (20:50):
I like my uh bourbon chocolate pecan pie.
Doug (20:53):
Whoa, that sounds amazing.
So this is like a pecan pie,but a little boozed up and with
chocolate in it.
Wow.
Alekka (21:04):
I turn my pies into tarts.
Doug (21:06):
Okay.
Alekka (21:07):
So I use the same pie dough, but I'll put it in a tart
pan.
So I've been making a lot ofthese plum frangipan tarts
lately.
Doug (21:15):
And frangipan, is that like an almond cream?
Alekka (21:18):
That's almond flour, almond extract, flour, eggs.
Doug (21:23):
Plums may not be available that much longer, but they've
been beautiful, right?
Yes.
Red, I've seen green.
This could be really gorgeous.
And you could probably dosomething with pear.
Alekka (21:32):
I was gonna say you could poach a pear and do that.
Again, I'm gonna refer to thebook on pie, her apple pie
filling.
Because I'm really particularabout my apple pie filling.
Doug (21:44):
I know we could You don't buy a can, Alekka.
unknown (21:47):
Oh my god, no.
Alekka (21:52):
No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
No, okay.
Alekka (21:55):
I know there's people who like their apple pies
certain ways.
Right.
I like mine a certain way.
I like it to be a little bit ofa mouthfeel to it.
And I like a sauce.
Like the apples to create asauce.
Doug (22:09):
Gotcha.
Alekka (22:10):
And I always finish whatever sweet or savory pie
that I'm making before I bakeit.
I will brush the top with amixture of egg and water.
Doug (22:19):
A little egg wash and malden sea salt.
All right, the maldon salt.
Those are the bigger crystals.
So you get a little crunch.
Alekka (22:26):
Yes.
The sweet and savory.
Yeah.
Doug (22:28):
I love that.
All right.
So we've been talking about piefor a while and we mentioned
some things on ingredients.
Do you have any other tips forother desserts that folks might
be making this time of year?
Uh, cake, a crumble, anythingup your sleeve where you're
like, oh, I always do this.
Alekka (22:46):
My other piece of advice, especially for the
holidays, is don't attemptsomething you've never done
before.
unknown (22:53):
What?
Alekka (22:56):
That you haven't practiced yet.
Doug (22:59):
That you're gonna take to somebody else's house or serve
other people.
Make it in the safe space inthe immediate family.
Try it once.
Alekka (23:06):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I like to do bread puddings.
Doug (23:12):
Oh.
Day old bread kind ofsituation.
Alekka (23:15):
Okay.
And make that a sweet breadpudding.
Doug (23:18):
Oh.
What do you throw in there?
Alekka (23:20):
It really depends on the season.
I would just do a little likecinnamon, sugar, brown sugar.
Doug (23:27):
Doesn't need to have any fruit or anything.
You can.
Alekka (23:30):
Or maybe some dried fruit.
Oh, yeah.
Because you have to let it sitand the bread hydrate with those
liquids.
So I would put the dried fruitbecause you don't want burned
dried fruit on the top of yourbread pudding.
Doug (23:40):
No.
But maybe nestle some driedcranberries in there and let
them hydrate and plump up.
Alekka (23:45):
Or when I lived in Atlanta, I made a crispy cream
bread pudding.
Doug (23:49):
Oh my goodness.
Yes.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Yes.
Doug (23:53):
Would you use crispy cream donuts?
Yes.
Oh.
That is decadence.
That is decadence.
I love that.
Alekka (24:01):
But you want to think about what's available at the
store.
So right now we're seeing a lotof pears, you know, apples.
This is what's in season.
Just what's in season.
Doug (24:13):
And pumpkin's always kind of in season, but I think the
the key here is you want to buypumpkin puree.
Yeah, not pumpkin pie filling.
You don't want people to do allthe spicing and other
whatever's in there for you.
Buy the pure pumpkin puree.
Alekka (24:25):
Correct.
And I still have about six cansthat I bought last year because
I went into a panic.
That's still good.
Oh, it's still good.
I'm going to use them, youknow, this year.
With pumpkin pie, I like tokind of change it up.
I do a pumpkin pie cheesecake.
I do a pumpkin cheesecakeinstead.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yes.
Alekka (24:46):
With a graham cracker crust.
Kind of trying to like takewhat's always tradit what's
traditional and kind of mix itup.
Mix it up a little bit.
Yeah.
Doug (24:56):
I saw a pumpkin flawn recently.
Yeah.
And I've done pumpkin scones.
I think I just saw thosesomewhere else as well.
Yeah, like it doesn't have tobe the pie.
Correct.
Right.
Alekka (25:07):
So, you know, pies are really traditional, but I also
make my pies.
Because, you know, if you'rehaving people over, you get
people who like apple pie orpeople that like pumpkin pie,
people that like pecan pie.
So I've started making, I thinkI told you this, my pies in the
cupcake pans.
Doug (25:25):
Yes, like personal.
We talked about this last year,I think.
Alekka (25:28):
Yes.
You have like personal, soyou're not stuck with three
quarters of this pie, one sliceof that one.
Doug (25:35):
You're making individual muffin tin pies, and each muffin
tin has a little bit of crustand then the filling.
Yeah.
And you're making a few apple.
Alekka (25:45):
Yeah, you make like four apple or you whatever.
Yeah.
When it comes time for dessertafter the holidays, people are
usually really full.
Yes.
Or they're like, I'll just havea little slice of pie, or I'll
just have a I'm like, here's anindividual one.
Or you can take it home withyou and eat it later.
Doug (26:04):
Perfect.
I want to jump around tosomething else I know you make
into the holiday season, and I'mnot gonna say it right.
Alekka (26:13):
The Booster Noel.
Doug (26:14):
Thank you.
If listeners don't know whatthis dessert is, it's a more
cakey, right?
It's a cakey thing.
And it looks like a log that'sfallen in the woods and maybe
has some mushrooms growing outof it.
But am I wrong?
Alekka (26:29):
I'm not wrong.
I've seen yours.
That's great.
So I equate it to the pumpkinlog, or like a pumpkin roll.
Like the pumpkin roll.
Doug (26:38):
But this is like chocolate.
Alekka (26:39):
So it's a chocolate sponge that you fill with a
butter cream and you roll it up.
Doug (26:46):
Please keep going.
Alekka (26:47):
Some people fill it with like the plain buttercream,
some people color it chocolate.
So what you have to do with thelog, you cut like the bottom
quarter of it off.
At an angle, right?
At an angle, and you repositionit on the big part.
So it looks like on the side.
Like it looks like a littleknot.
It looks like a knot cut.
(27:07):
Yeah, it looks like a branch.
Yes.
So then you fra you, I wouldmake my chocolate buttercream
and put it on.
I'm gonna call it a log foryou.
Yes, thank you.
Say the say the real Bouche duNoel.
Doug (27:21):
Lovely.
Alekka (27:22):
Thank you.
And then I make meringuemushrooms.
Doug (27:27):
Yes, I have seen these.
I've had one of yours.
You showed me this, and maybewe were at KDKA and you had one
on TV.
Alekka (27:35):
And then you make sugared cranberries.
Doug (27:37):
Oh, are you using real cranberries?
Alekka (27:39):
Real cranberries.
Doug (27:40):
Okay, fresh cranberries.
Alekka (27:41):
Fresh cranberries.
Okay.
And take fresh rosemary andkind of sugar the rosemary.
Just putting it in egg whites.
Doug (27:48):
Yes.
Alekka (27:48):
And I take my sugar and I make it into super fine sugar
in the food processor.
Okay.
Doug (27:54):
So you're taking regular granulated sugar and pulsing it
a few times to get it a littlemore fine.
Alekka (27:58):
It's finer.
So it looks like it's frozen.
Frosted.
Frosted.
Doug (28:02):
Yes.
And this is your little sprigof holly or evergreen then in
the bouche de Noël.
I can't see it.
I'm not even going to bother.
Alekka (28:11):
Yes.
Doug (28:12):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Alekka (28:13):
It makes a really lovely centerpiece.
Doug (28:15):
Can you send me a picture of one of these so we can put it
on social this week?
Alekka (28:19):
Yes, I will.
So I'm excited.
I'm doing that as a demo.
Doug (28:23):
I love that.
Is there any other besides pieand the log?
Is there any other dessert thatyou find that you're making
over the the winter, fall,winter season?
Alekka (28:39):
For clients, well I'm just gonna say what I make for
my family.
This one thing is is not thatdifficult, but we always have
monkey bread.
Oh yes.
For uh Christmas Day.
Doug (28:51):
We called it bubble bread in my family.
Alekka (28:54):
Okay.
Doug (28:55):
And if folks don't know what this is, we always used uh
bread dough.
Alekka (29:00):
Oh, I just use the Pillsberry.
I like your version better.
Tell me more.
So I buy the the Pillsburygrand biscuits.
And you cut them into quarters,put it in a bag of cinnamon
sugar, layer that in a bunt pan,then on the stove you cook
brown sugar, butter, somevanilla, and you pour that over
(29:22):
the uncooked biscuits and youbake that.
Doug (29:26):
Oh, yours is different than the one I grew up with.
So ours was usuallystore-bought bread dough.
We would make it intobite-sized balls, maybe like the
size of a golf ball.
We would dip it in butter, rollit in cinnamon sugar, and then
stack them in a bunt pan, andthen pour the remaining butter,
(29:46):
maybe sprinkle the remainingcinnamon sugar over the top, and
again bake the whole thing.
Alekka (29:50):
You know, doing the traditional sugar cookies,
that's another dough that youcan think about making in
advance.
Okay.
You can either you could alalways roll out the sheets of
your dough and freeze thosesheets.
Doug (30:05):
Okay.
So freeze them into sheets, notinto like the log shape for
cutting, slice and bake cookies.
Alekka (30:11):
You could do that too.
Okay.
So what I would do is make thedough, let it solidify in the
refrigerator, roll it out insheets and freeze those sheets.
Yes, probably.
Or cut your shapes and freezethose.
Okay.
And pull them out and bake themas you need.
That sounds lovely.
My biggest thing is preparationfor baking in the holidays.
(30:33):
You know, have everything youneed.
Have a plan.
Think about what you can do acouple days before to prep for
it.
Like with my booster Noel, Ican make those meringue
mushrooms a week in advance andkeep them in an airtight
container.
I could make my buttercream,because I make an Italian
(30:53):
meringue buttercream.
I could make that a couple daysin advance.
Okay.
The sponge cake, you kind ofhave to make it and use it.
Doug (31:01):
That day because you gotta roll it.
Because you have to roll it.
Alekka (31:03):
If you unroll it, it could break.
Yeah.
I went to the dollar store andbought probably about 20 towels
for my to roll it up.
Doug (31:12):
To roll it up in.
Yeah.
It's a whole it's a wholething.
Alekka (31:15):
It is.
Doug (31:16):
Oh my.
Well, Alekka, I think you'vegiven folks so many great
pointers and tips, but I do feellike at the end of the day,
people might just want to cometo you.
Oh yeah, I'll bake for you.
Well, let's do this.
Why don't we remind folks ofanything that you do have coming
up, like a class or an eventwhere you might be baking?
(31:38):
And then we'll we'll definitelygive your social handles again.
Alekka (31:41):
So for November, I am doing a knife skills class.
I know that's kind of deviatingfrom baking, but I think re-up
your knife skills for theholidays.
And I'm doing my annual IForgot to make a pie class.
Doug (31:56):
I remember this one from last year.
Alekka (31:58):
So that one, you bring in a pie pan, or I will provide
you with a pie pan.
I will have dough alreadypre-made, but you're gonna make
dough in class.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Uh-huh.
Alekka (32:09):
So after you make your dough, I refrigerate it and you
take that home with you.
Then you get the dough that Imade.
I show you how to roll it out.
Then you get three traditionalfillings for your pie.
You can do pumpkin, but I thinkI might switch it up this year.
I don't know.
See what I feel like.
Doug (32:29):
Yeah.
Pumpkin's gonna be in there.
Alekka (32:30):
Yeah, pumpkin's definitely gonna be in there.
Doug (32:32):
And some other ideas.
Alekka (32:33):
And I'll show you how if you want to do a double crust,
if you want to do a latticecrust.
Doug (32:39):
Now we're getting really fancy.
We are?
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
And when is this class?
Alekka (32:43):
That is gonna be, I think it's November.
It's like a couple days beforeThanksgiving.
So like the Sunday beforeThanksgiving is where it's gonna
be.
So people could come in andstart prepping this pie for they
could have a practice roundwith me and then go home with
the pie dough they made in classand make Wednesday.
Doug (33:01):
Yeah.
Alekka (33:02):
Excellent.
That's a that's a fun one.
I only take eight people persession.
It's intensive.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's intensive.
Alekka (33:10):
So I'm I'm probably gonna if the first one sells out
and it always does, then Iusually add on a second one for
the pie class.
The knife skills one, we makesomething at the end of class.
Fun.
So it's either ratatouille orstir fry.
Doug (33:26):
You have something a little further out, too.
Can we talk about it'sDecember, right?
We could talk about it now.
All right, go for it.
Alekka (33:34):
So the all-clad sale on December 5th, okay, Friday.
Um, I'm gonna be the guest chefdemonstrator.
And guess what I'm making?
Doug (33:45):
I have no idea.
Bouche de Noel.
Oh, that's great.
I had no idea.
Alekka (33:50):
Because I find like getting back into the baking
vibe, a lot of people that Iknow that own all clad.
Doug (33:55):
I own a lot of all clad because they're local.
Alekka (33:57):
They are, but the baking equipment that they have, I
don't think is that is as wellknown.
Doug (34:02):
Well known as the cookware.
As the cook.
So you're gonna highlight thethat's why I pitched that to the
people.
Alekka (34:07):
I said, you know, they have these nesting measuring
bowls that like has a handle onit that I love.
They have sifters, they havesheet pans.
Doug (34:17):
I've I've seen their sheet pans.
They're very lovely.
Alekka (34:20):
The measuring cups, the measurings, but they're really
heavy, which I like about them.
Let's oh, he's bringing themout.
Here they are.
You can hear them.
Doug (34:28):
They look like the little sauce pots.
Alekka (34:30):
They do, and they're sturdy.
And so when is this again?
December 5th.
Doug (34:35):
All right.
Alekka (34:36):
I think that's the first day, and I have to be there so
early in the morning.
Doug (34:40):
No, that's not your jam.
Alekka (34:42):
It's not my jam.
I have to be there at 6 a.m.
Doug (34:44):
Oh, my.
Well, it is a very busy uh timeat the all-clad outlet sale.
What do they call it?
Alekka (34:52):
It's the all-clad or the second sale, I guess.
The all-clad sale.
Yeah, so that works as you gointo a room.
Like you walk in, you get anumber.
That's the group number thatyou're in.
Doug (35:02):
Yeah.
Alekka (35:03):
So you're sitting in this room, and so I would call
myself the entertainment white.
Doug (35:07):
So you're doing the demo.
Alekka (35:08):
I'm doing that demo in that room before they call your
group in to go shopping.
That's fun.
Doug (35:15):
Aleca, thank you so much for sharing so many good tips,
recommendations, yourexperience.
You have me hungry.
Would you remind everyone ofyour own social handles and your
website if people want tocontact you, look for these
classes, or just follow youalong?
Alekka (35:33):
So my website at ChefAlekka.com.
I am Chef Alekka PGH onInstagram.
All right.
And I am on Talk Pittsburghevery other Thursday.
Doug (35:46):
On CBS Pittsburgh.
On CBS Pittsburgh.
Local KDKA.
Alekka (35:49):
Local KDKA for those listening overseas.
Famous Chef.
Doug (35:53):
We too.
You know, we do have about 49different countries that tune
into the Pittsburgh.
Oh, cool.
Yeah.
I was just looking at stats.
So they are listening aroundthe world.
Alekka (36:02):
Wow.
I'm so proud of you, Doug.
Doug (36:05):
Oh, well, thank you, Alekka.
I'm so proud of you.
Alekka (36:07):
This is always my Monday morning drive to work,
listening to your podcast.
Doug (36:12):
So as we speak in a couple weeks, you'll be listening to
yourself.
I'll be like, no, I don't wantto listen to myself.
No, you have to.
It's good.
Thanks so much, Alekkabeing on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Alekka (36:21):
Thanks for having me for the third time, Doug.
Speaker (36:24):
Third time?
Doug (36:25):
Yes.
All right.
Well, we'll work work up to onefor the thumb.
unknown (36:28):
One for the thumb.
Doug (36:32):
One for the thumb.
Before we go, I want to thankChef Alekka one more time, not
only for being on the showtoday, but also for being a
monthly monetary supporter ofThe Pittsburgh Dish for well
over a year.
If you're interested insupporting the show in the same
way, take a look at the links atthe bottom of our show
(36:52):
descriptions.
You can sign up for as littleas $3 a month and cancel any
time.
And as always, thanks forlistening.
That's our show for this week.
As we enter into the busyholiday season over the next few
weeks, we'll be featuring somemore condensed episodes, and
ultimately we'll be taking acouple weeks off in December.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
(37:16):
Stay tuned.
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Dish.
I'm your host, Doug Heilman.
If you are the not-so oftenbaker like me and your pie plate
is as dusty as the flour in thecupboard, then this week's show
is for you.
We get a lesson in pie bakingand more from Chef Alekka
(00:20):
Sweeney.
Alekka (00:22):
Looks like the game Simon.
Doug (00:24):
I know, and we can we can do.
When you start getting reallyrowdy, I can answer you.
Speaker (00:32):
Keep your hand on that button.
Doug (00:34):
I usually keep it right there.
No one has done it.
In post, I'll take it out.
We want to keep that explicitrating off of the podcast.
Okay, fine.
Alekka (00:42):
You get more listeners that way.
Doug (00:44):
Well, that's it.
Well, thank you so much forcoming over and for being on the
show.
Would you take a moment toreintroduce yourself to our
listeners?
Alekka (00:54):
Uh I'm Chef Alekka Sweeney.
I'm a private chef here inPittsburgh.
So I think it should be likeSaturday Night Live when like
the Five Timers Club, you get ajacket.
Oh.
So this is my third time.
Well, you gave me some soup.
Doug (01:07):
I did.
I we did have a little snack,I'll say, before we started.
Well, if we get uh if we getmore followers like you, and in
fact, you have been such a greatongoing friend and supporter of
the show, then we couldprobably afford some merch.
Okay.
Maybe you'll get a jacketsomeday.
Jacket will be a good one.
Maybe I can work with a t-shirtfirst.
Speaker (01:25):
Okay, I'll go with t-shirt's fine.
A magnet.
Doug (01:29):
Oh, there you go.
A sticker.
A sticker.
I can give you a sticker today.
Well, Alekka, I've asked you tocome back on the show because I
know you are such a uh, I'lljust say a champion and expert
in the world of baking, which Iam not.
I am the occasional baker.
And we're getting into the fallholiday season.
(01:52):
I think everyone has maybe apumpkin pie on the brain.
And so I thought it would begreat to take this episode and
talk about baking, some tips,tricks, ingredients, things that
you know about.
But before we dive in, I'd loveto dive into some of your
history.
You have quite a resume inbaking.
(02:14):
Yes.
Tell me a little bit more aboutyour baking history.
Alekka (02:18):
Well, I always tell people that I didn't choose
baking.
It chose me in kind of aroundabout way.
I was working um in arestaurant in Philadelphia where
the pastry chef at the timekind of disappeared for a month
with kind of some of his ownissues.
Doug (02:39):
So you became a pastry chef.
Alekka (02:41):
I did because I was the, you know, you were it.
I was young.
Doug (02:45):
Yeah.
Alekka (02:46):
Nobody else wanted to do it.
And they kind of turned to meone day and said, We need a
wedding cake this weekend.
Doug (02:52):
Oh my gosh.
Alekka (02:53):
Figure it out.
Doug (02:54):
Wow.
Yeah.
Not just a dessert for thisservice, but somebody's big day.
Alekka (02:59):
Yeah.
unknown (03:00):
Wow.
Alekka (03:00):
So I relied a lot on Martha Stewart.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah.
Alekka (03:04):
And uh Joy of Cooking.
And there was a woman therethat did help me, but that's how
I got into it.
And I think the way that mymind works, I have more of a
statistical mind where formulasreally resonate with me.
So I think that's why I reallylike baking.
Doug (03:25):
Baking.
Because there is more formulaand more science.
Exactly.
A little more planning.
Alekka (03:31):
And then you get to be creative.
Doug (03:33):
I am so none of those.
It's easy.
I like to say I'm theoccasional baker.
My mom is the pie master, but Ijust occasionally bake maybe
half a dozen times a year.
So I've picked up some things.
So I know you have so much moreknowledge than me.
Alekka (03:51):
Well, this was also a classic French restaurant.
Oh my goodness.
So that's, you know, from rightout of culinary school, I just
landed myself into learning howto make classic French pastries.
Doug (04:04):
And when you were in culinary school, was pastry part
of it.
It is.
Alekka (04:08):
It is part of it's usually the last session you go
through.
And I remember the chefinstructor said to me, I
remember we all walked in, it'sa cold kitchen.
This is Pennsylvania CulinaryInstitute.
And I, first thing I did is Iturned on all of the convection
ovens without even thinkingabout it.
And the chef walks in and he'slike, Who turned on the ovens?
(04:32):
And everybody's like, Oh myGod, oh my God.
Doug (04:35):
This was in culinary school.
Alekka (04:36):
This is culinary school.
So I just kind of like raise myhand, like, yes, chef, that was
me.
And he pointed at me.
He's like, You're gonna be agood pastry chef.
Doug (04:44):
Oh.
Well, that's just great.
And this was part of yourcurriculum, but it wasn't
necessarily a core focus.
And then all of a sudden youget this wedding cake in the
French restaurant.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And from there, let's jumpahead a little bit.
Alekka (04:59):
So then I moved to Atlanta.
Doug (05:00):
Yeah.
Alekka (05:01):
And like I said, it's public that I lied on my resume
to be the assistant pastry cheffor a company there that had
three restaurants and a cateringcompany.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Okay.
Alekka (05:12):
This was not French, but the pastry chef was really way
above his time with plateddesserts.
Doug (05:19):
Wow.
Okay.
Alekka (05:20):
So he told me that he had a choice.
He pretty much figured out myfirst day that I did not know
what I was doing.
He figured it out.
So he made me into a project.
I was there for five years.
Oh, wow.
So learning how to do likechocolate work and how to like
really refine, you know, whatI've learned and using like
silicon molds and how to put aplated dessert together.
Doug (05:43):
Did that really expand your craft those five years?
Alekka (05:46):
It did.
And then also, you know, at 25,26, I think, I had to manage a
staff.
Doug (05:53):
Wow.
Yeah.
Alekka (05:54):
Learning how to do that.
Doug (05:55):
Can I jump us a little bit further?
Alekka (05:58):
Please do.
Doug (05:58):
So you end up in Chicago.
Alekka (06:00):
End up in Chicago.
Doug (06:02):
And tell me about your business there.
Alekka (06:04):
So at that time, the food network had just started
and like the ace of cakes andcupcake wars.
Right.
Got to be really popular.
And that time I was, I wouldn'tsay, I think I was, I was tired
of working for other people.
I think an entrepreneur gets toa point where they're like, I
want to do this myself.
So I did a lot of marketresearch around to Chicago and I
(06:28):
couldn't find a place that wasjust dedicated to baking and
pastry classes.
It would be like sushi andpasta and and maybe an
occasional class.
Doug (06:39):
But you found a gap in the market.
I found a gap in the market.
Awesome.
Alekka (06:44):
And uh my real estate agent found a Montessori school
that already had everything thatI needed.
Wow.
So I signed the lease and Istarted my company there.
And I started out with a basiccake decorating class.
And in the decade that I hadit, that was hands down my most
(07:04):
popular class that I taught.
Doug (07:06):
Remind me the name of your business.
Alekka (07:08):
Give me some sugar.
That's for my Atlanta days.
Yeah.
Like, come here, baby, give mesome sugar.
Oh.
Doug (07:14):
Now life happens and we move forward again.
And now you're here inPittsburgh.
And what are you doing rightnow in the world of baking?
Alekka (07:24):
So I am teaching as many baking classes as I can and
offering them at my sharedkitchen space.
Doug (07:32):
This is the Hilltop Shared Kitchen.
Alekka (07:34):
Hilltop Shared Kitchen in Mount Oliver.
Doug (07:36):
And did I also just see you were teaching a class
recently at Botany Hall, who wejust had on?
Oh yeah, test.
Alekka (07:42):
And you had like 10.
Doug (07:44):
I made 10 batches of pie dough.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
I don't think I've made onebatch of pie dough.
Alekka (07:50):
I want to thank Erin G.
McDowell for that.
So I make her all butter piecrust.
And there's a way I'll I'lltell you my tips for that, but I
did that.
I timed myself.
I did that in about an hour and15 minutes.
Doug (08:04):
Those 10 batches of all buttercrust pie dough.
Alekka (08:07):
Yes.
Doug (08:08):
Oh my gosh.
So Alekka, I think what we'resaying, and I think I might have
made the right choice.
I want to talk about baking forthe rest of this episode.
And you have the skills to do.
Alekka (08:16):
I think I do.
A couple.
Doug (08:18):
A side question
kids?
Alekka (08:23):
Yes.
Okay.
Um, I like to do them in thesummertime and my kids' summer
baking camps.
And then I'm gonna have oneafter the 25th of December.
There's like that time thatkids are not back at school.
Yeah.
And parents are like, what am Igonna do with my kids?
And like the holiday high isdown, you know, is gone.
Yes.
So I do a kids' winter bakingcamp.
Doug (08:45):
I love this.
So you've got stuff in theworks right now.
Yes.
Okay.
Well, we'll get to that.
Let's make sure we talk aboutanything you have upcoming, any
events.
But I do want to cover pies.
Alekka (08:54):
Let's oh, I I could talk pies for all day.
Doug (08:57):
Okay.
Alekka (08:57):
All day.
Doug (08:58):
We could go into cakes and other pastries, but I'd also
like to talk about ingredientsand even equipment.
If you have any tips around anyof that, where would you like
to start?
Alekka (09:09):
So um my dad always laughs because I always have
from this probably this time ofthe year until January 1st.
Doug (09:17):
And we're talking about mid-October.
Yes.
Alekka (09:19):
I have a glass measuring cup Pyrex of water in my
parents' refrigerator at alltimes.
There's about a cup of water inthere.
Doug (09:27):
Chilled water.
Alekka (09:28):
Chilled water in preparation of making pie dough.
Doug (09:30):
Okay.
So you're ready.
Alekka (09:32):
My first tip of making pie dough is everything cold.
Doug (09:36):
All right.
Alekka (09:37):
Butter, the water.
Um, I have a bag of all-purposeflour in my freezer.
Doug (09:43):
You do.
You know, I know that we wantchilled butter because it
becomes more flaky when we workit in, but um, why all the other
things?
Like, why is it important tokeep the flour cold and and the
cold water?
Alekka (09:56):
Think about your body in the wintertime.
You're really tensed up.
Doug (10:01):
Okay.
Alekka (10:02):
And then your body in the summertime, you're kind of
like fluid and on relaxed.
So you the whole goal is to toreally slow down the development
of the gluten in the flour.
Doug (10:12):
Okay.
So keeping it chilled.
Alekka (10:13):
So keeping it chilled.
Doug (10:15):
Keeps it tense, keeps those proteins tense.
Alekka (10:17):
They tense up.
And it's also easier to, youknow, mix in cold butter because
you have to I have hot hands,what they say in the pastry
world.
They're pretty warm.
So if when I'm working with icecold butter, it's easier for me
to incorporate that into myflour and salt.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Okay.
Alekka (10:36):
And I keep my butter.
I was taught a long time agothat the butter should look like
sand.
Doug (10:42):
Okay.
Not the peas a little smaller.
Alekka (10:45):
A little bit smaller.
Okay.
Doug (10:46):
When you work it in, when you work it into the flour.
Alekka (10:49):
Correct.
So I went to Chicago andsomebody taught me a completely,
totally different way that blewmy mind.
Because you have pie dough doesnot have any leavening in it.
There's no baking powder,there's no baking soda, there's
no yeast.
Doug (11:02):
You're relying on the that little percentage of water in
the butter.
Alekka (11:06):
And the water that you put in there.
Doug (11:08):
Yeah.
Alekka (11:08):
And it evaporates and creates steam and gives you
those layers.
Doug (11:12):
That flakiness.
Alekka (11:14):
So my trick is when you put your there's two ways you
can do it.
Some people take like thebigger end of the box grater and
the great cold butter into theflour.
I do that when I make scones.
Yes.
Okay.
But when I do pie dough, I willcut my one stick of unsalted
(11:35):
butter into about four bigchunks.
Doug (11:38):
Yes.
Alekka (11:39):
And then I'll put it in my flour and just make sure that
those chunks are coated in theflour first.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Okay.
Alekka (11:46):
Then I'll use my hands, or you can use one of those
pastry cutters.
I have my grandmother's.
I'm a big tactile person.
Doug (11:53):
I want you want to do this with your hands.
You like this.
Yeah.
Alekka (11:56):
So I I kind of tried to make the butter look like
Pringles.
Okay.
Does that make sense?
Doug (12:03):
Yeah, like little sheets.
Alekka (12:04):
Like sheets.
Uh-huh.
Before I add the water at all.
Okay.
So some will be in like I callthem Pringles.
Some will be in the shape ofthe size of like a jolly
rancher.
You know, all different shapesand sizes.
Because you have to rememberwhen you add the liquid in,
you're mixing it some more.
Doug (12:23):
Yeah.
And so you're not using a foodprocessor typically for your
crust.
Well, you can, I mean, you cantell me yay, nay.
I don't know.
Alekka (12:32):
You can't.
Yes, you can't, but you reallywant to be mindful of how much
you're processing everything,especially when you're adding
the water.
Doug (12:39):
And more accessibly, let's just say your approach is don't
use a processor.
You would rather do it withyour hands and a pastry cover.
Alekka (12:45):
Yes.
Well, I was taught one day incall it when I went to advanced
pastry school.
The instructor took everythingaway that was plugged into the
wall.
Uh-huh.
And it was one week of doingeverything by hand.
Because if your kitchen aidbreaks or your cuisine art
breaks, you have to have a planB.
Doug (13:04):
Well, here's what I love about that anyway.
A lot of folks don't have thoseappliances.
And it's actually moresatisfying.
Alekka (13:11):
I find it very, it's almost like yoga for me when I
make pie dough.
So the amount of water that youput in my recipe, not my
recipe, the recipe I follow saysthree to four tablespoons.
Okay.
And I when I teach my bakingclasses, the first thing I say
to my students is trust theprocess.
(13:31):
Because I'm a grams girly.
I measure everything out on adigital scale.
I don't expect everybody to dothat.
So the amount of water reallydepends on what's going on
outside.
So if it's humid out, you'llprobably need three tablespoons
of water.
If it's like it is right now,very dry outside.
(13:52):
Very dry outside, you'llprobably need more.
Doug (13:55):
Yeah, like closer to four.
Alekka (13:56):
Closer to four.
So I tell my students, you canalways add, you can't take away.
Doug (14:02):
Right, right.
Alekka (14:02):
So especially after you add in the amount of water till
it looks like a shaggy dough,like a shag rug, then we will
dump all of that out onto thetable.
And people kind of panicbecause there's still some dry
portions of the flour.
And I say, well, this is thestep that we're gonna hydrate
(14:24):
the flour more into with thewater and the butter.
Doug (14:27):
So is this where we're like kind of bringing it
together, forming it in a disc?
Into a disc.
And then you have us.
I did this once with you.
This is why I remember.
We wrapped it in plastic wrap.
Alekka (14:37):
Right.
And a lot of people I will tendto put it what I call like a
bowling ball.
Doug (14:42):
You don't want that.
Alekka (14:42):
You don't want because you want to think about your
next step, which is which isrolling out.
Doug (14:46):
Right.
Alekka (14:47):
So I encourage people to put it in a disc, like a hockey
puck.
Doug (14:50):
Yes.
Alekka (14:51):
And that also you could make multi- you saw all those
batches of pie dough that I madein that big tower.
Doug (14:56):
Well, this is the picture I saw at Phipps Conservatory.
You had like 10 of these ofdough.
And so how long does that haveto rest to hydrate?
Alekka (15:05):
So at least a half an hour.
Doug (15:07):
Okay.
Like that's the minimum.
Alekka (15:09):
That's the minimum.
Because you want that butter toresolidify, you want the flour
to hydrate.
And you're putting it back inthe fridge.
And putting back in therefrigerator.
For the butter to harden backup.
So a lot of people ask me, howlong does the pie dough last?
And this is a really goodstory.
I made a batch of pie dough atPhipps's last week and I
brought it home and I used itthree days later to make a tart.
(15:33):
And my dad, who's had 57million of my pie, said to me,
He's like, Alekka, your crusttasted, you know, the texture
was different.
The pie dough that I had in therefrigerator for three days.
And I said, Well, that makessense because refrigerator sucks
out the moisture of things.
(15:55):
And I said, It's not as flakyas you're used to it being.
It's because it's been in therefrigerator for three days.
So it I mean, it still tastedgood.
Yeah.
But he's used to like me makingpie dough and using it and
baking it the same day.
Doug (16:10):
But you could probably go a day.
Alekka (16:12):
You could go a day.
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
But I would say it's kind ofpushing it for after like four
or five days because you'll getlike this gray kind of we don't
want that.
Yeah.
Doug (16:20):
Can you freeze it?
Alekka (16:21):
You can freeze it.
So unsalted butter lasts forthree months.
Doug (16:25):
Okay.
Alekka (16:26):
Salted, because salt is a preservative.
That's about six months.
Doug (16:30):
And you're talking about putting it wrapped tightly in
the in like some plasticwrapper.
Alekka (16:35):
And a freezer safe bag.
Doug (16:37):
And then in the freezer.
Alekka (16:38):
So if you make multiple batches like the in those discs,
then you can store a wholebunch in your freezer, pull it
out the night before you want touse it and put it in your
refrigerator.
Yes.
Doug (16:50):
Let it come back to temperature in the fridge part.
Alekka (16:53):
Yes.
Doug (16:53):
And so somebody out there listening could, if they're
going to make a pie in October,November, and December, they
could make three batches rightnow.
Alekka (17:00):
Yeah, I'm like, make your pie doughs now.
Oh, yeah.
And put them in your freezerand take it out.
And I use this pie dough forsweet and savory.
Doug (17:09):
Okay.
That's why you don't put anysugar in your crust.
You don't do the can I say it?
You don't do the pat sucrée?
Alekka (17:15):
No, you got it.
That's it.
Is that it?
Yeah, and there's pat brusset,too.
What's that?
That's kind of like the same aspie dough.
Doug (17:21):
All right.
But you do put a little salt inyour use correct.
Because you use unsaltedbutter.
Alekka (17:26):
And I put uh fresh herbs in this one.
Oh.
Doug (17:28):
So you can kind of savory one.
Alekka (17:30):
Yeah, you can jazz it up, as my dad would say.
Doug (17:32):
Sounds fun.
Alekka (17:33):
So I would put any other add-ins into the flour before
you put the butter in.
If you want to put dried herbsor nutmeg or anything like that,
put that into the flour and thesalt and whisk that together.
Doug (17:49):
Before you incorporate your then add your butter and
your water.
Got it.
Can we get a that easy sort ofrecipe you say you like to go
through?
Can we get that for?
Yes.
Alekka (17:58):
I'm going to credit Erin Jean McDowell.
Well, we can even link to her.
Yeah, please do, because shewrote the book on pie, which is
my pie bible.
I have this recipe memorized.
It's a cup and a quarter ofall-purpose flour, a quarter
teaspoon of salt, one stick ofunsalted butter, three to four
(18:19):
tablespoons of cold water.
Doug (18:21):
That refrigerator, cold water.
Alekka (18:23):
Yeah.
Come to my house, you'll seethe water in the refrigerator.
So if you don't have that inthe morning, if you wake up and
you're like, I want to make piedough, then put some ice in
water and put it in therefrigerator.
Yes, that will help get yourwater really cold.
Right.
But trust the process with thewater part.
Doug (18:42):
All right.
So you have me thinking tooabout these ingredients.
And you mentioned unsaltedbutter and the flour.
Can we talk about ingredientsfor a moment?
Alekka (18:52):
Well, I'm telling everybody to buy your
non-perishables now.
Oh.
Yes.
But I like King Arthur flour.
Doug (19:01):
Yeah, I like that too.
Alekka (19:02):
I like Kerrygold butter.
Doug (19:04):
Butter.
Alekka (19:05):
Mm-hmm.
Doug (19:05):
My mom's a King Arthur, and then she also finds this
other flour brand, Robin Hood.
She feels like they've hadmaybe just a slightly different.
Alekka (19:13):
Can you get that here in Pittsburgh?
I haven't seen it.
Doug (19:15):
I think she actually asks her local grocery store for it
because she did have it foryears, and then post-pandemic it
kind of took a long time tocome back.
But King Arthur, everyone seemsto love King Arthur.
Alekka (19:24):
Yeah, but if you don't want to spend that money, I've
made this pie dough with giganteagale flour and unsalted
butter.
And it doesn't affect it reallydoesn't.
If you don't remember the lasttime you bought your baking
powder and your baking soda, getrid of it.
Chuck it and buy fresh.
Doug (19:44):
Yeah, because it's such a special thing, right?
Alekka (19:47):
Like think my dad is infamous of running out the day
of Thanksgiving and gettingstuff.
So you can get your corn syrupsnow, your brown sugars now,
your pumpkin puree's, your nuts,anything that's non-perishable,
stock up on flour and sugars.
Doug (20:05):
Let me ask you uh I like to keep like nuts and like
coconut in the fridge.
I do too.
Oh no, I do it in the freezer.
You put it in the freezer, itkind of prolongs the life.
Alekka (20:14):
Yeah.
Doug (20:14):
And so I'm thinking about like the baking soda I like,
which comes in an orange box.
I might remember when I boughtit last, but if it's been open
and in the cupboard, it mighthave absorbed it.
Alekka (20:25):
It's always good to start fresh.
Yeah.
It really is, just to have thatextra insurance.
And they're only like a coupledollars.
Yeah, they're not thatexpensive.
This is Chef Alekka, and you'relistening to The Pittsburgh
Dish.
Doug (20:38):
When you bake pies, you mentioned you do some savory
things, but what are some ofyour favorite go-to sweet pies?
I'm sure everyone thinks aboutpumpkin.
Do you have anything else inyour brain?
Alekka (20:50):
I like my uh bourbon chocolate pecan pie.
Doug (20:53):
Whoa, that sounds amazing.
So this is like a pecan pie,but a little boozed up and with
chocolate in it.
Wow.
Alekka (21:04):
I turn my pies into tarts.
Doug (21:06):
Okay.
Alekka (21:07):
So I use the same pie dough, but I'll put it in a tart
pan.
So I've been making a lot ofthese plum frangipan tarts
lately.
Doug (21:15):
And frangipan, is that like an almond cream?
Alekka (21:18):
That's almond flour, almond extract, flour, eggs.
Doug (21:23):
Plums may not be available that much longer, but they've
been beautiful, right?
Yes.
Red, I've seen green.
This could be really gorgeous.
And you could probably dosomething with pear.
Alekka (21:32):
I was gonna say you could poach a pear and do that.
Again, I'm gonna refer to thebook on pie, her apple pie
filling.
Because I'm really particularabout my apple pie filling.
Doug (21:44):
I know we could You don't buy a can, Alekka.
unknown (21:47):
Oh my god, no.
Alekka (21:52):
No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
No, okay.
Alekka (21:55):
I know there's people who like their apple pies
certain ways.
Right.
I like mine a certain way.
I like it to be a little bit ofa mouthfeel to it.
And I like a sauce.
Like the apples to create asauce.
Doug (22:09):
Gotcha.
Alekka (22:10):
And I always finish whatever sweet or savory pie
that I'm making before I bakeit.
I will brush the top with amixture of egg and water.
Doug (22:19):
A little egg wash and malden sea salt.
All right, the maldon salt.
Those are the bigger crystals.
So you get a little crunch.
Alekka (22:26):
Yes.
The sweet and savory.
Yeah.
Doug (22:28):
I love that.
All right.
So we've been talking about piefor a while and we mentioned
some things on ingredients.
Do you have any other tips forother desserts that folks might
be making this time of year?
Uh, cake, a crumble, anythingup your sleeve where you're
like, oh, I always do this.
Alekka (22:46):
My other piece of advice, especially for the
holidays, is don't attemptsomething you've never done
before.
unknown (22:53):
What?
Alekka (22:56):
That you haven't practiced yet.
Doug (22:59):
That you're gonna take to somebody else's house or serve
other people.
Make it in the safe space inthe immediate family.
Try it once.
Alekka (23:06):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I like to do bread puddings.
Doug (23:12):
Oh.
Day old bread kind ofsituation.
Alekka (23:15):
Okay.
And make that a sweet breadpudding.
Doug (23:18):
Oh.
What do you throw in there?
Alekka (23:20):
It really depends on the season.
I would just do a little likecinnamon, sugar, brown sugar.
Doug (23:27):
Doesn't need to have any fruit or anything.
You can.
Alekka (23:30):
Or maybe some dried fruit.
Oh, yeah.
Because you have to let it sitand the bread hydrate with those
liquids.
So I would put the dried fruitbecause you don't want burned
dried fruit on the top of yourbread pudding.
Doug (23:40):
No.
But maybe nestle some driedcranberries in there and let
them hydrate and plump up.
Alekka (23:45):
Or when I lived in Atlanta, I made a crispy cream
bread pudding.
Doug (23:49):
Oh my goodness.
Yes.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Yes.
Doug (23:53):
Would you use crispy cream donuts?
Yes.
Oh.
That is decadence.
That is decadence.
I love that.
Alekka (24:01):
But you want to think about what's available at the
store.
So right now we're seeing a lotof pears, you know, apples.
This is what's in season.
Just what's in season.
Doug (24:13):
And pumpkin's always kind of in season, but I think the
the key here is you want to buypumpkin puree.
Yeah, not pumpkin pie filling.
You don't want people to do allthe spicing and other
whatever's in there for you.
Buy the pure pumpkin puree.
Alekka (24:25):
Correct.
And I still have about six cansthat I bought last year because
I went into a panic.
That's still good.
Oh, it's still good.
I'm going to use them, youknow, this year.
With pumpkin pie, I like tokind of change it up.
I do a pumpkin pie cheesecake.
I do a pumpkin cheesecakeinstead.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yes.
Alekka (24:46):
With a graham cracker crust.
Kind of trying to like takewhat's always tradit what's
traditional and kind of mix itup.
Mix it up a little bit.
Yeah.
Doug (24:56):
I saw a pumpkin flawn recently.
Yeah.
And I've done pumpkin scones.
I think I just saw thosesomewhere else as well.
Yeah, like it doesn't have tobe the pie.
Correct.
Right.
Alekka (25:07):
So, you know, pies are really traditional, but I also
make my pies.
Because, you know, if you'rehaving people over, you get
people who like apple pie orpeople that like pumpkin pie,
people that like pecan pie.
So I've started making, I thinkI told you this, my pies in the
cupcake pans.
Doug (25:25):
Yes, like personal.
We talked about this last year,I think.
Alekka (25:28):
Yes.
You have like personal, soyou're not stuck with three
quarters of this pie, one sliceof that one.
Doug (25:35):
You're making individual muffin tin pies, and each muffin
tin has a little bit of crustand then the filling.
Yeah.
And you're making a few apple.
Alekka (25:45):
Yeah, you make like four apple or you whatever.
Yeah.
When it comes time for dessertafter the holidays, people are
usually really full.
Yes.
Or they're like, I'll just havea little slice of pie, or I'll
just have a I'm like, here's anindividual one.
Or you can take it home withyou and eat it later.
Doug (26:04):
Perfect.
I want to jump around tosomething else I know you make
into the holiday season, and I'mnot gonna say it right.
Alekka (26:13):
The Booster Noel.
Doug (26:14):
Thank you.
If listeners don't know whatthis dessert is, it's a more
cakey, right?
It's a cakey thing.
And it looks like a log that'sfallen in the woods and maybe
has some mushrooms growing outof it.
But am I wrong?
Alekka (26:29):
I'm not wrong.
I've seen yours.
That's great.
So I equate it to the pumpkinlog, or like a pumpkin roll.
Like the pumpkin roll.
Doug (26:38):
But this is like chocolate.
Alekka (26:39):
So it's a chocolate sponge that you fill with a
butter cream and you roll it up.
Doug (26:46):
Please keep going.
Alekka (26:47):
Some people fill it with like the plain buttercream,
some people color it chocolate.
So what you have to do with thelog, you cut like the bottom
quarter of it off.
At an angle, right?
At an angle, and you repositionit on the big part.
So it looks like on the side.
Like it looks like a littleknot.
It looks like a knot cut.
(27:07):
Yeah, it looks like a branch.
Yes.
So then you fra you, I wouldmake my chocolate buttercream
and put it on.
I'm gonna call it a log foryou.
Yes, thank you.
Say the say the real Bouche duNoel.
Doug (27:21):
Lovely.
Alekka (27:22):
Thank you.
And then I make meringuemushrooms.
Doug (27:27):
Yes, I have seen these.
I've had one of yours.
You showed me this, and maybewe were at KDKA and you had one
on TV.
Alekka (27:35):
And then you make sugared cranberries.
Doug (27:37):
Oh, are you using real cranberries?
Alekka (27:39):
Real cranberries.
Doug (27:40):
Okay, fresh cranberries.
Alekka (27:41):
Fresh cranberries.
Okay.
And take fresh rosemary andkind of sugar the rosemary.
Just putting it in egg whites.
Doug (27:48):
Yes.
Alekka (27:48):
And I take my sugar and I make it into super fine sugar
in the food processor.
Okay.
Doug (27:54):
So you're taking regular granulated sugar and pulsing it
a few times to get it a littlemore fine.
Alekka (27:58):
It's finer.
So it looks like it's frozen.
Frosted.
Frosted.
Doug (28:02):
Yes.
And this is your little sprigof holly or evergreen then in
the bouche de Noël.
I can't see it.
I'm not even going to bother.
Alekka (28:11):
Yes.
Doug (28:12):
Yeah, it's beautiful.
Alekka (28:13):
It makes a really lovely centerpiece.
Doug (28:15):
Can you send me a picture of one of these so we can put it
on social this week?
Alekka (28:19):
Yes, I will.
So I'm excited.
I'm doing that as a demo.
Doug (28:23):
I love that.
Is there any other besides pieand the log?
Is there any other dessert thatyou find that you're making
over the the winter, fall,winter season?
Alekka (28:39):
For clients, well I'm just gonna say what I make for
my family.
This one thing is is not thatdifficult, but we always have
monkey bread.
Oh yes.
For uh Christmas Day.
Doug (28:51):
We called it bubble bread in my family.
Alekka (28:54):
Okay.
Doug (28:55):
And if folks don't know what this is, we always used uh
bread dough.
Alekka (29:00):
Oh, I just use the Pillsberry.
I like your version better.
Tell me more.
So I buy the the Pillsburygrand biscuits.
And you cut them into quarters,put it in a bag of cinnamon
sugar, layer that in a bunt pan,then on the stove you cook
brown sugar, butter, somevanilla, and you pour that over
(29:22):
the uncooked biscuits and youbake that.
Doug (29:26):
Oh, yours is different than the one I grew up with.
So ours was usuallystore-bought bread dough.
We would make it intobite-sized balls, maybe like the
size of a golf ball.
We would dip it in butter, rollit in cinnamon sugar, and then
stack them in a bunt pan, andthen pour the remaining butter,
(29:46):
maybe sprinkle the remainingcinnamon sugar over the top, and
again bake the whole thing.
Alekka (29:50):
You know, doing the traditional sugar cookies,
that's another dough that youcan think about making in
advance.
Okay.
You can either you could alalways roll out the sheets of
your dough and freeze thosesheets.
Doug (30:05):
Okay.
So freeze them into sheets, notinto like the log shape for
cutting, slice and bake cookies.
Alekka (30:11):
You could do that too.
Okay.
So what I would do is make thedough, let it solidify in the
refrigerator, roll it out insheets and freeze those sheets.
Yes, probably.
Or cut your shapes and freezethose.
Okay.
And pull them out and bake themas you need.
That sounds lovely.
My biggest thing is preparationfor baking in the holidays.
(30:33):
You know, have everything youneed.
Have a plan.
Think about what you can do acouple days before to prep for
it.
Like with my booster Noel, Ican make those meringue
mushrooms a week in advance andkeep them in an airtight
container.
I could make my buttercream,because I make an Italian
(30:53):
meringue buttercream.
I could make that a couple daysin advance.
Okay.
The sponge cake, you kind ofhave to make it and use it.
Doug (31:01):
That day because you gotta roll it.
Because you have to roll it.
Alekka (31:03):
If you unroll it, it could break.
Yeah.
I went to the dollar store andbought probably about 20 towels
for my to roll it up.
Doug (31:12):
To roll it up in.
Yeah.
It's a whole it's a wholething.
Alekka (31:15):
It is.
Doug (31:16):
Oh my.
Well, Alekka, I think you'vegiven folks so many great
pointers and tips, but I do feellike at the end of the day,
people might just want to cometo you.
Oh yeah, I'll bake for you.
Well, let's do this.
Why don't we remind folks ofanything that you do have coming
up, like a class or an eventwhere you might be baking?
(31:38):
And then we'll we'll definitelygive your social handles again.
Alekka (31:41):
So for November, I am doing a knife skills class.
I know that's kind of deviatingfrom baking, but I think re-up
your knife skills for theholidays.
And I'm doing my annual IForgot to make a pie class.
Doug (31:56):
I remember this one from last year.
Alekka (31:58):
So that one, you bring in a pie pan, or I will provide
you with a pie pan.
I will have dough alreadypre-made, but you're gonna make
dough in class.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Uh-huh.
Alekka (32:09):
So after you make your dough, I refrigerate it and you
take that home with you.
Then you get the dough that Imade.
I show you how to roll it out.
Then you get three traditionalfillings for your pie.
You can do pumpkin, but I thinkI might switch it up this year.
I don't know.
See what I feel like.
Doug (32:29):
Yeah.
Pumpkin's gonna be in there.
Alekka (32:30):
Yeah, pumpkin's definitely gonna be in there.
Doug (32:32):
And some other ideas.
Alekka (32:33):
And I'll show you how if you want to do a double crust,
if you want to do a latticecrust.
Doug (32:39):
Now we're getting really fancy.
We are?
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
And when is this class?
Alekka (32:43):
That is gonna be, I think it's November.
It's like a couple days beforeThanksgiving.
So like the Sunday beforeThanksgiving is where it's gonna
be.
So people could come in andstart prepping this pie for they
could have a practice roundwith me and then go home with
the pie dough they made in classand make Wednesday.
Doug (33:01):
Yeah.
Alekka (33:02):
Excellent.
That's a that's a fun one.
I only take eight people persession.
It's intensive.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
It's intensive.
Alekka (33:10):
So I'm I'm probably gonna if the first one sells out
and it always does, then Iusually add on a second one for
the pie class.
The knife skills one, we makesomething at the end of class.
Fun.
So it's either ratatouille orstir fry.
Doug (33:26):
You have something a little further out, too.
Can we talk about it'sDecember, right?
We could talk about it now.
All right, go for it.
Alekka (33:34):
So the all-clad sale on December 5th, okay, Friday.
Um, I'm gonna be the guest chefdemonstrator.
And guess what I'm making?
Doug (33:45):
I have no idea.
Bouche de Noel.
Oh, that's great.
I had no idea.
Alekka (33:50):
Because I find like getting back into the baking
vibe, a lot of people that Iknow that own all clad.
Doug (33:55):
I own a lot of all clad because they're local.
Alekka (33:57):
They are, but the baking equipment that they have, I
don't think is that is as wellknown.
Doug (34:02):
Well known as the cookware.
As the cook.
So you're gonna highlight thethat's why I pitched that to the
people.
Alekka (34:07):
I said, you know, they have these nesting measuring
bowls that like has a handle onit that I love.
They have sifters, they havesheet pans.
Doug (34:17):
I've I've seen their sheet pans.
They're very lovely.
Alekka (34:20):
The measuring cups, the measurings, but they're really
heavy, which I like about them.
Let's oh, he's bringing themout.
Here they are.
You can hear them.
Doug (34:28):
They look like the little sauce pots.
Alekka (34:30):
They do, and they're sturdy.
And so when is this again?
December 5th.
Doug (34:35):
All right.
Alekka (34:36):
I think that's the first day, and I have to be there so
early in the morning.
Doug (34:40):
No, that's not your jam.
Alekka (34:42):
It's not my jam.
I have to be there at 6 a.m.
Doug (34:44):
Oh, my.
Well, it is a very busy uh timeat the all-clad outlet sale.
What do they call it?
Alekka (34:52):
It's the all-clad or the second sale, I guess.
The all-clad sale.
Yeah, so that works as you gointo a room.
Like you walk in, you get anumber.
That's the group number thatyou're in.
Doug (35:02):
Yeah.
Alekka (35:03):
So you're sitting in this room, and so I would call
myself the entertainment white.
Doug (35:07):
So you're doing the demo.
Alekka (35:08):
I'm doing that demo in that room before they call your
group in to go shopping.
That's fun.
Doug (35:15):
Aleca, thank you so much for sharing so many good tips,
recommendations, yourexperience.
You have me hungry.
Would you remind everyone ofyour own social handles and your
website if people want tocontact you, look for these
classes, or just follow youalong?
Alekka (35:33):
So my website at ChefAlekka.com.
I am Chef Alekka PGH onInstagram.
All right.
And I am on Talk Pittsburghevery other Thursday.
Doug (35:46):
On CBS Pittsburgh.
On CBS Pittsburgh.
Local KDKA.
Alekka (35:49):
Local KDKA for those listening overseas.
Famous Chef.
Doug (35:53):
We too.
You know, we do have about 49different countries that tune
into the Pittsburgh.
Oh, cool.
Yeah.
I was just looking at stats.
So they are listening aroundthe world.
Alekka (36:02):
Wow.
I'm so proud of you, Doug.
Doug (36:05):
Oh, well, thank you, Alekka.
I'm so proud of you.
Alekka (36:07):
This is always my Monday morning drive to work,
listening to your podcast.
Doug (36:12):
So as we speak in a couple weeks, you'll be listening to
yourself.
I'll be like, no, I don't wantto listen to myself.
No, you have to.
It's good.
Thanks so much, Alekkabeing on the Pittsburgh Dish.
Alekka (36:21):
Thanks for having me for the third time, Doug.
Speaker (36:24):
Third time?
Doug (36:25):
Yes.
All right.
Well, we'll work work up to onefor the thumb.
unknown (36:28):
One for the thumb.
Doug (36:32):
One for the thumb.
Before we go, I want to thankChef Alekka one more time, not
only for being on the showtoday, but also for being a
monthly monetary supporter ofThe Pittsburgh Dish for well
over a year.
If you're interested insupporting the show in the same
way, take a look at the links atthe bottom of our show
(36:52):
descriptions.
You can sign up for as littleas $3 a month and cancel any
time.
And as always, thanks forlistening.
That's our show for this week.
As we enter into the busyholiday season over the next few
weeks, we'll be featuring somemore condensed episodes, and
ultimately we'll be taking acouple weeks off in December.
We'll be back again next weekwith another fresh episode.
(37:16):
Stay tuned.
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