I'm so sorry that you left out lard, because I would have been interested in how it stacked up. I have never, ever, ever had any pie crust that was better than my mother's lard crust. I don't care from how fancy a bakery or what renown the baker had. No crust had the wonderful flavor and flakiness (I am alarmed that so many people confuse crumbliness with flakiness) of my mother's pies. There is no doubt that her crusts were not as beautiful as some, but who cares? I'm not in it for the beauty, I'm in it for the taste. That's why your concern over losing the beautifully fluted edge to your butter pie bothered me. I have learned that the crusts that look the best taste the worst. Just saying.

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