Marjorie Von Euw wears a colorful embroidered apron with the handprints of her baby granddaughter whenever she is cooking. Von Euw’s daugher, Sharon Scharf, home economics teacher, defers to her mother’s skill when it comes to cooking or baking. So once each year she brings Von Euw on campus to teach students some baking secrets.

Von Euw continues to wear it every year when she comes to demonstrate piecrust to the home economics class. This year she came to teach students about piecrust on Oct. 28.

“I enjoy coming every year because I love the enthusiastic reaction I get,” Von Euw said. “It is important to teach these skills to our youth because if they don’t learn them now, when will they?”

This year marks the sixth year of Von Euw’s return.

“I love how my mom comes to teach my class about how to make the perfect piecrust,” Scharf said. “Not only do I enjoy listening to her teach, but also the students have respect and love towards her.”

According to Von Euw, contrary to what is seen on TV, baking piecrusts is very simple.

“The ingredients are basic,” Von Euw said.” The secrets of a great crust are how you roll it out and handle it. You don’t need to be an expert in baking to make a piecrust.”

A special tradition began a few years ago after Von Euw demonstrated the making of a crust for the students. She took the piecrust home, filled it with lemon meringue and presented it, the next day to Greg Stobbe during one of his English classes.

“Its fun to see Stobbe’s reaction,” Von Euw, said. “I enjoy bringing it to him every year.”

Von Euw has been baking her special piecrusts since the age of 16.

“I enjoyed listening to Mrs. Von Euw teach,” Jennifer Vanden Hoek, ’06, said. “I had tons of fun making pies and I can’t wait to make more.”

Over the next couple of weeks, the class will be making apple, cherry, and pumpkin pies including cinnamon rolls.

For more information on the high school home economics class, parents and students can contact Sharon Scharf at 297-9464, ext. 159. For more information about baking piecrusts students and teachers can go to
www.practicalkitchen.com/the_perfect_piecrust.