Fall is the time for all-American pie. Even if you aren't crazy about pastry and weaving crusts, you can still make beautiful pies by using mini autumn pastry/cookie cutters to adorn your crust. This set,
Autumn Mini Cutters from Crate and Barrel (currently on sale for $3.95), includes three leaf shapes, an acorn, a pumpkin, a turkey and an apple. I purchased a similar set of these adorable little pastry/cookie cutters almost 10 years ago from Williams-Sonoma (no longer available) and have used them every year since. They come in a little cute little tin and are very easy to store (though getting them into the tin is a little puzzle and takes a minute). I often use the apple in the center of the top pie crust for venting, and then make additional apples from the scraps to place around the top of the pie (brushing one side with water and sticking that side to the crust). The leaves are pretty when you use a variety on a pumpkin pie. These little pasty/cookie cutters are a great addition to your baking arsenal.
