SATURDAY SCOOPS
Apple pie excellence

By Chris Oliver
Advertiser Staff Writer

Aurora Fruehling serves her homemade apple pie at her home in Manoa. Her version features a streusel topping. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Linda Fulgenzi, who bid for and took the pie home, said it was "quite simply the best apple pie I've ever eaten."

What made it so good? "The sugary streusel topping, an incredible flaky crust and two kinds of apples; the entire pie was a delight," Fulgenzi said.

Next week, the dish stars again, this time at the Fruehling Thanksgiving dinner, where Aurora and her husband, Royal, will host more than 20 students, their families and friends at their Manoa home in an international-style gathering.

Described at the YWCA fund-raiser as a "Savory French Apple Butter Crumble Pie," but known to some insiders as Aurora's Amazing Apple Pie, we happily present her recipe. And give thanks.

Aurora's Amazing Apple Pie

Pie crust:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup Crisco butter-flavor shortening
• 4 tablespoons ice-cold water

1. Sift flour and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse meal.
3. Add water (1 tablespoon at a time to four sides of the bowl), then mix with a fork, cutting though the flour mixture with each stroke.
4. When mixture clings and the bowl is fairly clean, dough is ready.
5. Roll on a floured surface, or between sheets of waxed paper, to about / -inch thick and about 1 inch larger than the pan.

Filling:

• 5 cups, or approximately 2 pounds, of apples (mix Granny Smith and Golden Delicious).
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Line pie pan with pastry.
2. Peel and quarter the apples. Slice / -inch thick.
3. Mix sugars, flour and spices. Spread ¥ cup of mixture over the pastry crust.
4. Fill pie with apples, alternating with sugar mixture.
5. Dot with butter and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

1. Combine flour, salt and sugars until well-blended.
2. Cut in butter until crumbly. Mixture may cling and form lumps.
3. Break clumps and sprinkle on pie filling.
4. Bake in 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 375 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes. The amount of apples will affect baking time. A foil cover on the edge of the pie will prevent pastry burning.

Tip: Aurora makes pastry by hand (she doesn't own a food processor). Her tip for making pastry in Hawai'i's humid climate is to cut down on the amount of iced water; her recipe calls for about half the amount in most pastry recipes. Also, she recommends putting a baking tin underneath the pie to catch any juice that bubbles over.

This season, give the gift of caring ... to your hair

Holiday haircut? Doh!

There's always something you forget on your holiday to-do checklist, but there's nothing like a Saturday afternoon to set yourself up for the holiday season.

A simple change in hair style should bring some new life to a look that might be getting a little familiar to the crew with whom you break bread. Pantene stylist Brett Freedman suggests these seasonal hairdos:

• Wear an updo for events that require a formal dress. But unlike the hard hats of years past, the new updo is more carefree and less structured. The style works best for shoulder-length to long hair, Freedman says.
• If your hair is short, consider either a "mussed-up, natural look," or create little twists by taking gel and wrapping your finger around small sections of hair. Pixie cuts are made more elegant if the hair is finger-fluffed as it is blown dry.
• A ponytail is classic — and easy — for casual dinners. Freedman advises drying hair straight and blowing it toward the face so it will have more lift when you pull it back. Place the ponytail just behind the crown of the head and fasten with an elastic. Wrap a small section of hair around the band to cover it, securing with bobby pins. To finish the look and to add shine, set the hairs around the face with a light-hold hair spray.

What are you waiting for, Shaggy?

Body slams, chops, cannonballs tonight at Marine-base club

The touchy-feely holiday spirit just isn't for you quite yet? Then how about taking in a three-way ultimate submission match at the Thanksgiving Slam! Pro Wrestling with Hawai'i Championship Wrestling event is tonight at 7 at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii's E Club.

Tickets are $10 general; $8 active duty and students with ID.

Six-year-old hydrofoil ace tells his story on TV

You'll have to wait until Sunday night to catch this feel-good scoop.

KGMB's Hawaiian Moving Company, at 6:30 p.m. and repeating at 10:30 p.m. tomorrow, profiles young hydrofoiler Justin Poskin of Kaua'i.

The fact that the 6-year-old excels as perhaps the youngest master of a fairly new sport doesn't begin to tell his story.

When Poskin was 4, he had to undergo open-heart surgery.

Six months after specialists from Honolulu and New York operated, Poskin was back in the water surfing and wakeboarding.

Not long after, Poskin's family purchased a foilboard from Jim Timpone of Maui. Foilboarding was developed on Maui about five years ago.

The technique was featured in the hit film "Step into Liquid," showing how a surfboard is raised above the water, connected to a long rudder.

We won't spoil the rest of the story, but if you're looking for a heartwarming return to the water from a talented keiki from Kaua'i, don't miss tomorrow's show.

Some schools holding craft fairs today

Here's a chance to find cool crafts and support keiki at the same time.

The Hawaiian Cultural Craft Fair Fund-raiser is going on today at Wilson Elementary School, 4945 Kilauea Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds go to "Ua keiki kakouno ke Wilson (We the children of Wilson)."

Trinity Christian School, 875 Auloa Road, Kailua is also holding a holiday craft fair today, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proceeds will support the school's Destination D.C. trip.

Another holiday craft fair is being held at Kuhio School, 2759 S. King St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., sponsored by Cane Haul Road & Friends.

Appreciate dads with family fun

Here's a must-do today for the man of the house. The Hawai'i Coalition for Dads is hosting the "E Mahalo Ana I Na Papa — Appreciating Fathers Conference and Family Fun Day" from 8:15 a.m to 2:30 p.m. today at the Kamehameha Schools.

Married, single, divorced, significant father figures and their 'ohanas are invited to a day of games, workshops and gathering.

Cost is $5 for adults (includes continental breakfast and Hawaiian lunch), $2 for keiki ages 6-18. Ages 5 and younger get in for free.

Information: Greg Farstrup, 841-2245.

Poochy panache marks anniversary

The event is open to the public.

Holiday Cleaning 101: Getting out from under it all

Company's coming for the holidays, and the house is a shambles, you say?

Don't collapse just yet. Use today, and these tips from the experts at HGTV's Mission: Organization, to tidy up your home:

• Attack one room at a time, and bring a helper.
• Get see-through storage containers, and label everything.
• Toss out or donate some of your old clothing. Ask yourself if you need it, love it and will wear it.
• For kids' rooms and playrooms, sort and dispose of items while the kids are away.
• For the garage, purchase inexpensive shelving, wallboards with hooks or baskets for storage.

For more tips, visit www.hgtv.com.