Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Buy ‘Made in America’, when you can find it

When Betsy Ross sat down with George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross in 1776, the four discussed Betsy sewing together the first American flag, and shortly thereafter the Star Spangled Banner was born.
Today the ghost of Betsy Ross is restless as America’s flag is being sewn overseas and then imported to the United States.   In 2003 the US imported six million dollars worth of flags from the rest of the world with the Chinese contributing $4.5 million to the imports. Another statistic of interest is that in 2001 flag imports topped out at $51.7 million with $29.7 million coming from the Chinese.
The question arises. Why is the United States allowing something so sacred to be produced by foreign nations? It is bad enough that American businesses are taking American jobs overseas but must we pledge an allegiance to the flag made in China?
What an irony. This symbol of patriotism that millions of our soldiers fought and died for may be flying over their graves today. Chances are the flags may have been made by a country that had been our sworn enemy. Why is this happening when we have factories that are standing idle and workers who desperately need the jobs?
I say this in light of the decision made by the Olympics Committee to have the uniforms our American athletes will wear that have been made in China. I am appalled, angry and frustrated with this lack of sensitivity toward the US that  was entirely capable of making the uniforms.  What one-brain cell individual made this decision when we have ample textile factories begging for work?
But wait. It doesn’t end there. I defy anyone who buys things to find that many of their purchases were “Made in America.” Look around your house. Look at the tags on your clothes. Look at your appliances, TV sets, computers, electronics. You have to look hard to find anything that was made in the good old US of A.
I am one of the biggest hypocrites. The clothes I have on were made in China.  But what choice do I have?
All the tags of the clothes in my closet have labels that say “made in Taiwan, Indonesia, China, Philippines, etc.” I try to buy American, but I can’t find it.
And another thing, when I call a service center to report a need for a repair job on  my TV or computer or telephone, why do I get an answer from someone in maybe India or Indo-China? Don’t we have people who can answer the telephone?
This is fixable. But who is going to fix it. We need to make it plain to Washington that this is their problem. It is their fault that the US is being diminished as a super power and the economy is in the tank. So how do they plan to solve it?
Take another recess.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peach Pie

1 1/3 cups cold butter
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water
8 large fresh, firm, ripe peaches (about 4 lb.)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cut 1 1/3 cups butter into small cubes, and chill 15 minutes. Stir together 4 cups flour and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until mixture resembles small peas. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup ice water with a fork, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened and dough begins to form a ball and leaves sides of bowl, adding more ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if necessary. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press and shape dough into 2 flat disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 425º. Place 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Starting at 1 edge of dough, wrap dough around a rolling pin. Place rolling pin over a 9-inch pie plate, and unroll dough over pie plate. Press dough into pie plate.
Roll remaining dough disk to about 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
Peel peaches, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; cut slices in half. Stir together brown sugar, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 cup flour in a bowl; add peaches, stirring to coat. Immediately spoon peach mixture into piecrust in pie plate, and dot with 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter. (Do not make mixture ahead or it will become too juicy.)
Carefully place remaining piecrust over filling; press edges of crusts together to seal. Cut off excess crust, and reserve. Crimp edges of pie. If desired, reroll excess crust to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch leaves using a knife. Brush top of pie with beaten egg; top with leaves. Brush leaves with egg; sprinkle with 1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 to 5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape.
Freeze pie 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a jelly-roll pan in oven 10 minutes. Place pie on hot jelly-roll pan.
Bake at 425° on lower oven rack 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°; bake 40 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 25 more minutes or until juices are thick and bubbly (juices will bubble through top). Transfer to a wire rack; cool 2 hours before serving.