I am going to be making Great Pumpkin Pie for the first time, and am really excited.  I want to use the hand mixing method but even though I have read and re-read the recipe for basic flaky pie crust in PPB, I am still a bit confused. 
  After the ingredient charts, there are some instructions for chilling/freezing the butter.  That makes sense.  Next are instructions for freezing the dry ingredients for 30 minutes before mixing.  Then come the food processor directions, then tartlet food processor instructions, THEN hand mixing directions.  In Rose’s other books, instructions that come between the ingredients chart and the methods are applicable to all the methods.  Is this correct?  Do I freeze the dry ingredients for 30 minutes and then proceed to the step where the hand method begins, with chilling the mixing bowl, then whisking together the (possibly chilled) dry ingredients? 
  The language in the hand method seems to imply that no chilling of dry ingredients has taken place.  I think that chilling the mixing bowl takes the place of freezing the dry ingredients, since a food processor bowl wouldn’t be practical to chill.  I would appreciate if someone can set me straight before I blunder!  Thanks, Melanie

P.S. Can someone also post the latex glove mixing method that replaced the freezer bag method?  It is referred to in the blog and forums, but no amount of searching gets me the instructions.  Thanks again!

Yes, you are correct about chilling everything…the dry ingredients the bowl…etc.  Then you jump to the hand method. As far as the latex golve stuff…If I remember correctly, rather than kneading the butter/dry ingredients together through the sides of the zip lock bag…you dump the ingredients into a cold bowl, and press them together with your hands wearing gloves (To keep the body heat down).

Sending you a private message on this.

Yes you’re right, although I never bother with it in the fall/winter as my kitchen is not warm enough to affect the pastry.  I do follow it in the summer though. The gloves keep your hands from getting messy, and you don’t have any waste from what might stick to your hands—I highly recommend using them, and it is also much easier than the plastic bag.

P.S.  I think the cream cheese crust is the easiest to work with and it is delicious.

I did love the cream cheese crust when I made it.  I like to make the recipes as-is and as recommended at least once, so I will forge ahead with the all butter version this time. 
I can’t wait to taste the result!
  Thanks,  Melanie

Bill and Matthew,
      My results were perfect and the pie was a HUGE favorite at our Thanksgiving celebration.  Thanks again for your help and encouragement. 
      I didn’t have gloves, but you were pretty much right, and the chill in our kitchen, combined with the bag technique was good enough this time.  I do think they’ll be necessary for summer baking, as suggested. 
      Happy Thanksgiving,  Melanie

alexamae,
    You are going to love this pie.  I thought it was a great beginner pie, because the results were so satisfying.  Follow the instructions and you can’t go wrong.  Do try the All American Apple pie also.  That cream cheese crust is terrific, and few things compare to the perfect simplicity of delicious apple pie!

I’m happy to hear that you had success Melanie!