I hadn't realized last time I posted about pie that the New York Times had a long article about the perfect pie crust. The writer's secret: using lard.
I've made lard pie crusts, and they are, indeed, delicious. But my goal is to be able to take pie to various events and be greeted like a goddess. Why start with something that anyone can eat and make it off-limits to vegetarians and observant members of several major religions? I'd hate to have to dive in front of someone as they were about to lift a piece of the pig-fat crust unknowingly to their lips.
The crust I like so much is a ratio of 2:3 vegetable shorteningo butter. I do love an all-butter crust, but I like the way this one handles and tastes with a two-crust fruit pie. I guess I'll go ahead and give the recipe--I was being lazy before:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut up
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Greatly shortened instructions:
Pulse flour sugar salt in processor. Add shortening in bits, pulse 10 seconds, add butter, pulse 10 times. Put in bowl, sprinkle water on top, toss it together, press it with side of spatula until it sticks together. Divide in two, wrap each half in plastic wrap, chill at least an hour. (Much more detailed directions in any America's Test Kitchen book or website)

I'm making two pies for four people on Thanksgiving; foolish but necessary: an apple pie and a sweet-potato pecan. We will be eating them long past Thanksgiving. As much as I love warm apple pie, I will not warm it up after the first time: microwaving pie ruins it--something that restaurants refuse to learn. They heat pie up too hot, then plop a huge scoop of ice cream on it so it melts--apple pie soup.

I guess I'll haul out a cookbook or two: I've made the sweet potato pecan pie for years but don't have it memorized. Otherwise, one of the great pleasures of making Thanksgiving dinner for me is that recipes are not really needed. It's all traditional, simple stuff and it's the same every year. I almost never experiment.