It would be impossible to grow up in my mother's house and not learn to bake. She's a Frenchwoman and a Cancer, a culinary double whammy that turns even her most casual dinner parties into events. Her idea of taking it easy is using a food processor (sacre bleu!) to slice the apples for a tart tatin or, in go-for-broke sloth, actually baking the chocolate-glazed hazelnut mousse cake the night before. Even now, hearing her describe a dinner menu is like listening to a fairy tale. So I can bake a little and I can cook a little. Nothing fancy, which I think may be the secret to my recent pie success. Buy great fruit. (I used the two apple varieties in the photo.) Use real butter in the crust. Keep it simple. Recipes after the jump.