You guys, when Williams-Sonoma has a big clearance sale, I look for originally way-overpriced things, like dried pasta and baking tools, and leap if I find a goodie. Three times now, I've picked up festive boxes of pie crust cutters, and I'm gonna tell y'all, I am never sorry.

When I get my Martha Stewart on, which is usually during times of seasonal change -"Oh hey, fall's a comin'! I NEED to have crust shaped like autumnal leaves!- or angst -"If those kids don't shut their pie-holes, I'm gonna BLOW."- making pies feels extra lovely and soothing. And these cutters bring any pie to the next Martha-Stewart-level.

Pie is pretty much universally comforting, especially a simple fruit pie with just the right filling to crust ratio. Pie conjures thoughts of love and thoughtfulness, decadent breakfasts and visits with a friend in the late afternoon.

My primary impetus for this evening's pie was a manic desire to use my new pie plate from Kaufmann Mercantile, a favorite online shop of mine. It's a ruggedly organic ceramic beauty that I simply could not say no to.

Kaufmann Mercantile's ceramic pie plate. You will love it as much as I do, and no, they didn't pay or even ask me to say that.

It really wants to hold an apple pie, what with its heft and color and utter fall'ness. And though most of the past week in DC made many residents believe we actually lived on the surface of the sun, there were snips and bits of cool breeze, early morning chill and the sort of clue that cooler days might very well be coming.

So, apple pie. Because Ginger Golds are out, even though excellent pie apples like Mutsus and Jonagolds aren't yet, you can get by with a few Granny Smiths and such.

After rolling out the bottom crust and gently placing the spiced apples into it, I went to town with my crust cutters and fashioned this lovely cover. Gorgeous, eh? I can't wait to jump in. Recipe will be posted very soon in both Desserts and Pies.