I wrote this back in late June, but I never posted it. So, although it is not cherry season right now...it will be before you know it! Here's to reminiscing of warmer sunnier days.
When I was younger and my grandparents were healthier, I used to spend my summer vacations at their small orchard in Monkton, Vermont. Besides the delicious Macintosh apple trees, the true star in my grandfather’s orchard were by far the sour cherries. Every cherry season my grandmother would sit on the porch for hours pitting bowls and bowls of cherries. These cherries would eventually become part of her famous sour cherry pie, a pie that has been making my family happy for well over 20 years.
When I was younger and my grandparents were healthier, I used to spend my summer vacations at their small orchard in Monkton, Vermont. Besides the delicious Macintosh apple trees, the true star in my grandfather’s orchard were by far the sour cherries. Every cherry season my grandmother would sit on the porch for hours pitting bowls and bowls of cherries. These cherries would eventually become part of her famous sour cherry pie, a pie that has been making my family happy for well over 20 years.
This weekend, I set out on a cherry picking quest.
As I reminisced on my grandparents’ orchard, I aimlessly made my way through
the maze of trees picking as many cherries as I could find. When I thought I
was done, I would find another variety that I just had to have. After 2 ½ hours
I knew I had to be done-- I wasn’t done because I was tired of picking
cherries; I was done because I had somehow managed to fill my entire bucket. I
wasn’t surprised when the total weight was 12 pounds; in fact I thought it
might have been more. At $3.50 per pound I think I got a pretty good deal for
fresh cherries.
The remaining part of my weekend evolved entirely
around my cherries. I made pie, preserves, sangria, jam, and I still have
pounds to go. Cherry season doesn’t last very long, maybe 2-4 weeks—so acting
quickly is the best bet to securing this delicious little fruit. To find a
local farm with pick your own fruits and vegetables visit: www.pickyourown.org.
Grandma’s Sour Cherry Pie
Recipe
by Thelma MacCollom
Makes
one 9" pie
Serves
8
Ingredients
4 cups sour cherries, stemmed and pitted (about 2 pounds un-pitted)
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. almond extract
½ tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. cream
Preheat oven to 450º. In a medium bowl, combine cherries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, almond extract, lemon juice and zest. Stir until cherries are evenly coated and set aside.
Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Roll out second dough disk to 12-inch round; cut into ¾ to 1-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into pie dish. Arrange strips atop filling in a crisscross pattern, forming a lattice. Seal strip ends to crust edge. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream. Brush over top of pie. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temp to 400º and bake until golden brown and juices are bubbling, 40-50 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with ice cream.
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. cream
Preheat oven to 450º. In a medium bowl, combine cherries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, almond extract, lemon juice and zest. Stir until cherries are evenly coated and set aside.
Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Roll out second dough disk to 12-inch round; cut into ¾ to 1-inch-wide strips. Spoon filling into pie dish. Arrange strips atop filling in a crisscross pattern, forming a lattice. Seal strip ends to crust edge. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cream. Brush over top of pie. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temp to 400º and bake until golden brown and juices are bubbling, 40-50 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with ice cream.
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