Pie

My sister has come for a visit this weekend.  She always expects a cherry pie (two cans of cherries cost $6.84), fresh eggs and whatever else I've canned or put up. We have to go to an expensive local restaurant she loves and she has to have a back tickle.  

Yes, she is the older sister.  You have to have one to understand.  Mind you, like being the middle child, older sisters are the queen bees in family dynamics. In fact, I rarely (every few years) get to go to her house because she won't let me bring my dogs.  But, I love her so - can't imagine life without her.

Pie In A Jar

I made many of these little pies in a jar for the 4th of July.  Blueberry, blackberry and sour cherry, they were  delicious.  Problem was, I filled them too full and the filling overflowed the containers and made for a terrible mess in the oven.  So, if you decide to make these sometime, learn from me and don't overfill.

President's Day

In honor of the holiday, George the Washington's favorite cherry pie.  The easiest to make, the rustic tart, versus the lattice pies.  The grand kids were happy for their little ones.  I think I'll make one Monday.  Hear that Sis?  Type in cherry pie for the recipe.

MY CHERRY PIE

I'm known among my family and friends for my cherry pie. It is one of the first things I learned to cook. My friend Janis taught me how. There is really only one secret and it has to be followed. It's the cherries. You MUST use tart pie cherries. It makes all the difference. Not a filling or sweet cherries or a combination of cherries. Only tart cherries.

Start with the crust. For the flakiest crust, you must use a lot of fat. Cut 1 1/4 cup of shortening into 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. salt. Then add 7-8 tbs. of water (sometimes I use more). Dough will be a little sticky. That is why I use so much flour to roll out the dough. Divide into 2 discs.

I roll out one crust (this is a 10" crust) and place it into the bottom of the pie pan. Then, I mix up the filling. To two cans of tart pie cherries, add 1 3/4 - 2 c. sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. almond extract. (You can add less cinnamon and almond extract if you want). Mix all together and pour into crust. Dot with two to three tablespoons of butter.

Roll out top crust. Cut into what ever size strips you want. Be creative and make fancy edges, make wide strips etc. I start with two strips; they make a cross in the center. Then I work outward, lifting strips to make a basket weave. Roll edges inward around pie and crimp. Again, this is a place to get creative with the edges. Sometimes, I sprinkle a large grain sanding sugar on top. Bake in a 325 - 350 degree oven for about an hour. You just want to make sure the center is a solid not a liquid.

Voila. Pie. Cherry pie. I have a Cuisinart ice cream machine and made a vanilla ice cream to go with it (kind of gilding the lily).