Covid may be temporarily thwarting my usual travels, but I am determined not to let it deter me from pie-making joys. So, anticipating a cool Saturday, I kept a long- standing promise to my young neighbor, Izzy, and invited her to come to my house and bake a pie with me. Before extending the invitation, I thought long and hard about how we could observe CDC Covid Guidelines while making a pie. I discovered that we could move the pie-baking operations from the kitchen table to the pantry counter, which is at least 12 feet long, open windows at both ends of the room, and turn on an air-exhaust ceiling fan. And, we both agreed to wear our masks. Check, check, and check, all safety boxes were checked. 
Izzy wanted to make a Lemon Meringue Pie. After reviewing several recipes for this pie, I found one that would allow us easily to work in the pantry. Izzy was the chef, and I was the sous chef and would be the one to go into the kitchen to put the pie in the oven.
Izzy made the graham cracker crust 
and, while it was chilling in the freezer, made the filling. The star of the pie, is of course the meringue.
Neither one of us had made a meringue pie before, but Izzy has a good eye for whipped egg whites, and, soon we had the stiff peaks the recipe called for. 
We kept an eagle eye on the meringue when it was in the oven, and after several checks, Izzy called it ready and voilà, we had a lemon meringue pie!
When the pie was cooled, we put it in a basket for her to carry home. 
(In case you are wondering, under that mask is a beautiful girl, who made her first pie today!)
People: Izzy, an expert cookie maker who accepted the challenge to make a pie.
Places : A pantry with a long counter that allows social distancing
Pies: Lemon meringue 
- For the crust: Your favorite graham cracker crust
- For the filling:
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- For the meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- For the crust: Make crust and freeze for 30 minutes
- For the filling: Combine the sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly.
- For the meringue: Using a stand mixer, beat egg whites until frothy. Continue beating, adding 1 Tablespoons of sugar one tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- When pie is cool, add meringue and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until peaks are slightly brown.
