Tuesday, November 24, 2020

T Stands for Cherry Pie

 

With the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, time to do some things ahead of time. Today’s project is to bake a cherry pie. My favorite. Usually it’s an apple pie that graces the table. This year, Himself ordered a Thanksgiving feast box from Hello, Fresh. Everything in the box to prepare dinner. The dessert fixing is an apple crisp. So that’s why I chose the cherry pie for a change of pace.

I have fond memories of cherry pie.  On President Washington’ birthday, February 22,  all the big department stores would have a Wahington’s Birthday sale. Dad would pack us into the green Studebaker and drive to Woodland Station. Where he would park the car and we would take the subway to the (at that time) last station on the Green Line, Lechemere. 

Lechemere Sales was a big department store. Clothing , appliances, they had it all. To entice people to their Washington’s Birthday sale, they gave away free cherry pies. So we would go to the store, do a little shopping , and go home with a cherry pie.

It’s been a while since I made a homemade pie crust. Usually, I’m lazy and just use a refrigerated pie crust from the grocery store. This year, I have time, a lot of flour, and shortening used in another recipe that needs to be used up.

Another memory of when I first learned how to make pie crust. I was in my late teens or twenties and working at the local hospital laboratory. The receptionist called us kids that worked in reception/phlebotomy, her hospital children as we weren’t much older than her own kids. I think we all confided in her, too. 

One year, her kids had gone into a local orchard and liberated a ton of apples. She invited us to her house and she would teach us how to bake an apple pie. There was a lot of silliness, rude jokes about docking the pie crust, but I learned how to bake a pie.

I’ve assembled everything I will need. Mise en place. I watched Julia Child’s French Chef when she did a program on making pastry crust. She said working with pastry was delicate. The pastry was best when everything was cold. She suggested all utensils, shortening ,flour, and water should be refrigerated before making the pastry.


It’s good with temperatures at this time of the year, that I can put things in the “big fridge” (sun room). Last year, it was 57 degrees so that wasn’t possible. Before I begin, first things first. A cup of tea and some questions.

Do you make your own pie crust? What’s your favorite pie? Do you chill your utensils ?

 Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s blog to find out what the rest of the T gang is up to. If you want to play, include a beverage or beverage container in your post. Don’t forget to link your blog from Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s page.

46 comments:

  1. I enjoyed reading about your childhood memories.

    I buy mostly all store made stuff, including the pie crusts. But now that reminds me that my Mom used to make cinnamon tart type things with her leftover pie crust dough (which she made from scratch). I didn't get any premade pie dough to make those. Oh well. Happy T-Day!

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    1. The cinnamon tart thing sound good. Do you have the recipe?

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    2. I think it's one of those recipes that one just "wings" it. Spread coating of butter onto pie crust. Sprinkle entire thing with a cinnamon / sugar mixture. Then roll up the pie crust to make a tube. Cut "cookies" from tube. Bake in oven - but I'm not sure the temperature, and for how long. But I know I made them at least once. I'll have to dig around to see if I wrote down the recipe. Ugh.

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  2. And I've been forgetting to say "Happy Thanksgiving" to all of the US T-Gang members. Ugh.

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  3. Good morning, many fond memories here.
    Yes I was brought up by a farm girl Mom so everything we made was from scratch. Pies have always been my favorite dessert to make over cake baking. I love all pies, no I never chilled my utensils, but I always have ice cubes in the water so it is very cold when adding it to the dough. Happy T and Happy Thanksgiving

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    1. I like all desserts, but pies are so homey and they look so pretty with the fluted crust.

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    2. yes I agree I grew up with pies as the dessert especially for the holidays they are fun to make too

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  4. I always make my own party and cakes. My apartment is so cold in winter I don't have to chill anything! Valerie

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    1. Next time, I'll come to your house to bake a pie 😺

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  5. I haven't made a pie in years but I do recall the time I made an apple pie for Weezer for her birthday. I had run out of flour for the crust, and instead of going out for more; I used up some powdered sugar I had. Whether it was because weezer didn't want to "hurt my feelings" or if it was actually true; she had said it was the best pie crust she'd ever had !!! my fave would have to be pecan with a VERY close second banana cream !! :) ☺☺♥♥

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  6. I haven't made pie in years! I still have a killer recipe from Jr High that was a big hit though......and I have the time.....lol. ;)

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  7. I buy my cherry pie from the bakery department at the grocery store. I'd rather have yours ;) Right now I'm wishing I had a 2nd fridge lol

    Happy T Tuesday!

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    1. Bakery, store bought, frozen, homemade, they all taste good. The big fridge is a blessing

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  8. Cherry pie is a good choice. I wish I wasn't the only one in the house to love it. And I made 3 pie crusts this morning. Everything cold is good, but I always make crust with my hands, so all is cold except my fingers. I refrigerate my lumps of crust to make them cold before I roll them. That might be tomorrow. Tonight I am going to make rolls. I figure that even though we all need to be home I might as well have fun and make a nice meal. I am guessing you or thinking similarity. How is Hello Fresh? I have never used them. Hugs-Erika

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    1. We like Hello Fresh. Everything you need comes in the box and there is little to no waste to the ingredients. For the most part, produce is fresh, but on the off chance it isn't, a call to customer service and they credit your account. The recipes taste good and are easy to follow. We do 3 meals per week. The Thanksgiving box was extra and we'll be doing one for Christmas, too. I like the fact that meal planning is done for me. All I have to do is take the bag of choice out of the fridge. Let me know if you would like to try it. I think Himself can send discounts to friends who want to try.

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  9. Nice memories. My dad's first car was a Studebaker. I barely remember it because he sold it when I was three. I don't like to make pie crusts either, but we can't get ready made here. My crusts are delicious, but they always look sloppy. No matter how hard I try. My favorite pie is apple. No I don't refrigerate my utensils. Maybe I'll give that a try. But I do cook "mis en place."

    I got a kick out of your comment on my post. You sing like a hinge - lol. I love the way you put things. However, I'm puzzled by "I'm always enchanted by your planner and really happy to have seen a 42." Huh - 42?

    Happy Thanksgiving and Happy T-Day! Stay safe and stay well. Hugs, Eileen

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    1. My pie looked better in my head than it did coming out of the oven. You'll see that next week.

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    2. Thank you for answering my question about "42." Chris loved "Hitchhikers Guide to The Universe." But I didn't get it and put it down after two chapters. Now I have to search my journal pages from last week to find the 42. ;-)

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  10. What a fun way to do dinner- I have never had any kind of fresh box to make dinner with-it might get addicting:):) Besides, I really do enjoy choosing my own ingredients and such. And yes, mis en place- I live by that no matter what I am making! AndIi also get utensils and ingredients cold when necessary- makes everything much easier. We're just going to have pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving and we always enjoy it as that it's the only time I make it. It's apple pie year round;) Happy T day and happy Thanksgiving too!

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    1. My Eldest is the only one that really loves pumpkin pie. It's okay but not a favorite. Though one year I drizzled chocolate over it and it was a big hit.

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  11. Nice memories. I do not make my own pie crust, although my Nan taught me how. My fave is peach pie. You have a nice evening.

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    1. I usually don't bother. The refrigerated pie crusts are pretty good. I just had to use up some ingredients before they go past their prime

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  12. Your desire to create a cherry pie had me reaching in my memory of every Sunday as I was growing up. Every Sunday she made a pie and if we had company she made their favorite pie. She always chilled everything and she had the flakiest crust you have ever tasted. I've never had crust as good as hers. I've never been fond of fruit pies, but I loved her peanut butter butterscotch pies she made from scratch.

    Looks like you have all the makings of a great cherry pie. And that mug reminds me of my Taylor and Ng mugs I have. I saw what Anne wrote and I remember my grandmother also made cinnamon-sugar pie crust with any left-over dough.

    Thanks for the memories of your cherry pie and the one you plan to make this year, as well as your tea you shared with us for T this Tuesday.

    I've also considered Hello Fresh because it's delivered, but I like leftovers as much as I like the original meals. From what I gather, there are no leftovers.

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    1. The smallest kit you can get feeds 2 people. They also have a feeds 4 kit. So there would be leftovers and the portion sizes are pretty generous

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  13. we are having pecan pie as my husband doesn't like pumpkin or cherry. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. I like pecan pie, too, but have never made one. The Brother's MIL made a really good pecan pie.

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  14. Wow, you have Hello Fresh, too! The TV ad is so dumb over here, it hurts, LOL.
    Sadly my sweet tooth mostly is asleep, but one Birthday my Mum and Bro took me out on apple pie with vanilla ice-cream and indeed it was yummy!
    Today, though, I plan my first onion cake.

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  15. I loved reading this! I've never made a flaky pie crust just graham cracker. I love cherry pie, any cherry item really. I am allergic to corn so I haven't been able to have storebought pies with cornstarch thickeners but recently discovered arrowroot and tapioca powered sugar and alternates so I'll be making a pecan pie with maple syrup instead of corn syrup this year! happy holiday

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    1. Pecan pie with maple syrup. That is going to taste and smell heavenly

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  16. Yes, I make my own pastry. I live in a hot counmtry so I can't do it in summer, but now the temperatures are lower, I look forward to making pies. I refrigerate everything, and I even put a little bit of water in the freezer (and hope I don't forget to take it out before it actually freezes). Then when the pastry is made and is in the shape of a ball, I put it back in the fridge, and after 20 minutes it will be ready to roll out.
    I've never made cherry pie. The cherry season is very short here, and we can't buy pie filling here, as the Spanish don't make pies (that is typically anglo-saxon).
    And yes, I practice 'mis en place' too. I even went and bought those tiny glass dishes for all those little things and I get everything ready. I am a cook that measures and weighs everything, so it is better to do that beforehand. I have all my recipes in a book and I work from there. Even the recipes that I make regularly, I still measure everything. My hubby is the opposite. He is a creative, and his dishes are never the same, and he usually can't tell me exactly what he's used and how much.
    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Happy (belated) T-Day,
    Lisca

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    1. Your hubby cooks like my grandma cooked. And when we asked for a recipe: handful of this, a little of that😺

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  17. What lovely memories. Thanks for sharing.
    Enjoy that pie. My baby girl sent us a bourbon, chocolate pecan pie. Yum to both pies.

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  18. I love cherry pie! Your 'pie tales' remind me of my Mum! We used to live out in the country and the farmer next door used to give us his fruit, my Mum in turn would bake pies and my brother and I were often sent off to the farm with a basket containing pies and cakes for the farmer. She used to make jam and chutneys too which used to get given toe the farmer and other neighbours as well as the bus driver who used to drop us at our gate rather than have us walk from the bus-stop...happy days!! Oh! and as I could never make pastry like my Mum I buy mine now! Belated Happy T Day and Happy Thanksgiving! Chrisxx

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    1. The good old days. Thanks for sharing those lovely memories.

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  19. Thanks for sharing your story/memories.
    You can't go wrong with Cherry Pie :)

    All the best Jan

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  20. another nice story by you to read. Well ..let's see.. I've only made one pie in my entire ilfe and that was when I was dating my husband and he loved Lemon Merangue Pie. It turned out pretty good. Throughout our life with kids I worked at home med transcription and kept the house, did the yard work, took kids to dentist and doctors -talked to police when they came to the door when one of them overstepped the boundaries in one way or another - and no way did i enjoy cooking. Thankfully every spring though we were at the snack bars at little league where they loved to eat and then fast food in other places ...(I cooked a lot also back then) - Mike coached three teams . So long story short - when he retired and took over - i let him and haven't looked back. You worked in a pathology lab - interesting...

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    1. I was a float in the laboratory so filled in where needed. Mostly i did reception and plated specimens in microbiology. I also transcribed pathology reports. I think i told you the story about “skinny lips”

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    2. if you did ...my memory....tell me again.

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  21. Great memories CJ! My mom always makes her crust. I have to admit, I should start making it now! LOL! I love too many pies to have one fav! LOL! But, I do love peach pie! Big Hugs!

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