by Marvin Wilson

OWEN FIDDLER wants to tell you his story! (Everybody sing along to the tune of the Beatle's "Nowhere Man." Has a selfish point of view, why he's such a fool no clue, isn't he a bit like me and you? Owen, man, please listen. You don't know what you're missing. Owen, man, your world is at your command! Meet Owen Fiddler…just an average kind of guy who takes no responsibility for anything, and everything going wrong in his life is someone else's fault. He's no role model for you or your kids, but reading his story will learn ya a thing or two, and that's a fact. This is an entertaining, thought-provoking, humorous and spiritually insightful book which will surely have you thinking about your own life.

Nowhere Man Pie

For the crust:
1 7-ounce package graham crackers
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole, roasted hazelnuts

For the sweet milk filling:
1 ½ cans (21 ounces total) sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

For the coffee whipped cream:
1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 ¹/2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons sugar
½ envelope unflavored gelatin powder
2-3 ripe bananas, sliced
finely powdered instant coffee for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Grind the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs in a food processor, then place them in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Put the hazelnuts in the food processor and pulse them until they are finely chopped but not powdery. Add them to the bowl with the crumbs, along with the melted butter.

4. Combine the melted butter thoroughly with the crumbs and butter, then press the mixture firmly along the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Press firmly with your hands or the back of a spoon so the mixture will adhere and form a layer of even thickness.

5. Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, or until nicely browned and fragrant. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside to cool.

6. Meanwhile, make the  condensed milk filling: cook the sweetened condensed milk in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the milk has caramelized and turned golden. This will take about an hour and a half.

7. While the condensed milk filling cools, make the whipped cream: Heat ½ cup of the cream, along with the instant coffee and sugar, just until it feels hot to the touch. Stir to dissolve the coffee completely.

8. Remove the cream from the heat and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface of the cream.  When the gelatin has softened, stir it into the cream until it is fully dissolved. Set the cream aside to cool to room temperature.

9. When the coffee-flavored cream has cooled, add it and the remaining cup of cream to a mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Whip the cream at high speed until stiff peaks form.

10. Spread the condensed milk filling evenly over the bottom of the baked and cooled pie crust. Top it with an layer of banana slices (they should cover the condensed milk filing completely). Then top the bananas with the coffee-flavored whipped cream as if it were meringue.

10. Chill the pie for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of the ground instant coffee just before serving.

One bite and you will be transported by a sensation of earthly delight.