Pie #51: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Pie (Bumbleberry Pie)

Wow, I love this pie!  Let me list three reasons why:

1. I felt resourceful making it - it used up all the extra fruits in my fridge.  (Indeed, bumbleberries do not exist in the wild!)
2. The mixture of fruit flavors felt like a circus on my tongue.
3. The crunch topping was just delightful.

We took the pie to our friends' house for dinner, and it was a hit!  There was even arm wrestling discussed to determine the lucky winner of the last piece! (In the end a fair splitting occurred.)

The initial bumbleberry idea came from this website: http://andreadekker.com/bumbleberry-pie/.  However, the recipe I used actually came from a mixture of my earlier blueberry pie and strawberry rhubarb pie.  I think the clove and berry flavors are delightful, and when combined with the tangy rhubarb....Wow!  Just Wow!

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Bumbleberry Pie

Ingredients:
1 pie crust

filling:
4 c. (heaping) mixed fruit - apples, rhubarb, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.
2/3 c. sugar
7 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 shakes ground cloves
3 T. water
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla

topping:
1/2 c. flour
3/8 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 c. butter
1/2 t. cinnamon

Pie Algorithm:
1. Wash fruit, chop larger fruits to the size of blueberries.  Put in bottom of unbaked crust.
2. Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cloves in bowl. Add water, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Stir until mixed well.  Pour mixture over fruit.
3. Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until crumbly.  Sprinkle on top of fruit.
4. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, or until filling is bubbling and has thickened a bit.

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I suggest chopping the larger fruits into fairly small pieces so the flavors are able to mix better.  However, if you'd rather more distinct fruit flavors, larger pieces would work just fine.

I was excited to be able to use my friend Johanna's homemade vanilla extract in the pie.  I think it added a special, warm, complete flavor!  Perhaps tackling vanilla-making will have to be my next project!

Pie #50: Recommendation Pie (French Strawberry Pie)

I have two of the best advisors for which a person could ask.  Among other things, they are intelligent, witty, blunt, patient, humorous, curious, supportive, and down-to-earth.  Over the past three years I have learned a lot from them, not only regarding my research area, but also in terms of what it means to produce quality research, to be a faculty member, and to be a collaborator. 

I've come to realize that the title 'Advisor' could be synonymous to the title 'Recommender'; I feel fortunate to have a relationship with my advisors that allows for recommendations beyond the next research steps.  For instance, I have received welcome recommendations from them regarding job applications (both in the form of recommendation letters and for which positions to apply), homeowner issues, vacation attractions, networking opportunities, computer purchasing, office temperature control, and (most importantly here!) pies.

This week's pie is the product of one such recommendation.  As soon as Tom heard about my project, he declared that he had a recipe for my collection.  His wife Gail emailed it to me,  and included her own recommendation:
"We have this only when I can go out and pick strawberries.  I'm sure one can use strawberries from the grocery store but I don't think the pie would be as good.  This is one of those pies that will dirty your whole kitchen so be prepared."

I was pretty sure she was right about needing fresh berries.  Since berry season had already passed, I tucked this recipe away for the end of my pie year.  Finally my wait was over - fresh berries had arrived at the Farm Market!

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French Strawberry Pie

Gail Santner

Ingredients:

1 baked 9" pie shell

4 oz. cream cheese

1-2 T. cream

1 1/2 qts. strawberries

2/3 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

few drops lemon juice

Pie Algorithm:

1. Wash and hull the berries, setting aside 1/3-1/2 of the best ones.  If they are large, cut in half. Mash the rest and put through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.  Mix this puree with the sugar and cornstarch.  Add the lemon drops.  Cook this mixture until thick and transparent, stirring constantly.  Set aside to cool.

 

2. Blend the cream cheese and cream until soft and smooth.  Spread over cooled pie shell.

 

3. When berry sauce is cool, pour half over the cream cheese. Arrange the whole berries over the sauce.  Then pour the remaining puree over the berries and chill.

 

This pie is wonderful as is--it doesn't even need whipped cream.

 

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Because of time issues, I ended up using a shortbread crust instead of a regular crust.  The flavor and texture paired well with the pie filling, but it was hard to spread the cream cheese.  If I decide to use this crust again, I will use more cream to make the cream cheese mixture a bit more spreadable.  Additionally, I think I should have kept more berries in chunks.  I ended up with a lot of sauce, and not quite enough berries.

 

Though, with these minor details aside, this pie was a definite winner!  I love the taste of fresh berries, and the added cream flavor was like a little piece of heaven in my mouth!  I'm sure to make this pie again!

Pie #49: House Specialty Pie (Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch Pie)

This week's pie was selected based on a suggestion by the other Marvin in my life.  Perry's dad (Marvin) thought that it was time to make some rhubarb crunch.  His description intrigued me, so after making 3 crusts, trying out 2 other sizes of Kathy-made crusts, taking a time-out to accompany Grandpa King to a graduation party, getting instruction from Marv and extra suggestions from Kathy, and begging a little bit of help from Perry...we had to wait for the pie to cool before we could eat it.  The pie was beautiful and smelled SO wonderful!  I'm not a terribly patient person, however I can't remember the last time I was in such a hurry to eat a pie!  It was definitely worth the wait; the combination of rhubarb and strawberry was delightful.  Sometimes the rhubarb flavor stuck out, other times it was the strawberry flavor.  The crunchy top was just plain perfect!



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Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch Pie
adapted from "Rhubarb Crunch", Marvin Leatherman, West Clinton Mennonite Cookbook


Ingredients:
1 pie crust
1/2 c. flour
3/8 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 c. butter
1/2 t. cinnamon
2 c. rhubarb, diced
2 c. strawberries, diced
1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 - 3/4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla

Pie Algorithm:
1. Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon until crumbly.  Set aside for later.

2. Mix rhubarb and berries, spoon into unbaked pie shell.

3. Combine sugar, cornstarch, water, and vanilla and cook until thick and clear.  Pour over fruit, and top with crumb mixture.  Bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Note: Marv is the only one that makes this dessert at the Leatherman's house.  He has taken it to "morning coffee" at the restaurant to share and received high marks for it.

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If interested in making Marv's actual recipe, double the crumb mixture as listed above.  Instead of using the pie crust, grease a 9-inch backing pan and then press the extra crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.  The rest of the recipe follows as directed above.

Thanks to Perry for the pictures.

Pie #43: Birthday Pie (Ice Cream Pie)

For Perry and I, this week held more adventure than most weeks.  Perry was surprised to find his friends at his favorite ice cream shop for his 30th birthday, I was granted access to the Supercomputer, and we hosted our nephews (and their parents!) for a few days.  Of course all of this was on top of the typical badminton night, mandolin playing, and thesis writing.  As we enter a season of transition, wrapping up commitments at church, saying goodbye to friends that will leave before us, sorting through (and hopefully donating much of!) our belongings, and then ultimately heading East, we are trying to enjoy life as it is before we move to the unknown.

To help celebrate Perry's birthday, we made an ice cream pie to share with our visitors.  I'm not sure this recipe is necessary; it's very simple.  At any rate...here it is...

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Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 crust (graham cracker, cookie, rice krispie)

2 complementary flavors of ice cream, softened
sauce (chocolate, caramel, jam)
whipped topping, optional

Pie Algorithm:
1. Fill the bottom half of the crust with one flavor of ice cream, and smooth until flat.

2. Pour thin layer of sauce over the first layer of ice cream.  (Perry's helpful tip: If using jam, the jam may need to be stirred in a separate bowl until it becomes liquid enough to pour.)

3. Fill the rest of the crust with another flavor of ice cream, again smooth until flat.

4. Drizzle extra sauce on top layer of ice cream, if desired.

5. Freeze pie until ice cream has again become hard.  If desired, top with whipped topping before serving.

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Perry chose strawberry and vanilla ice cream with strawberry jam and chocolate sauce.  Wade thought the pie was 'deliciously delicious', and ate 2 large slices.  (Though he says he wishes he could have eaten five!)  Not so bad, I guess! :)